Not all sunscreens are equal

With summer, comes sun-burn and as a shield to it, we use sunscreens.

 But, do we know the proper application and use of that sunscreen? Are all the sunscreens of same use? USA Today reports, The Environmental Working Group’s annual guide to Sunscreens found that not all products are created equal, when it comes to sun protection.

“People are still confused about sunscreen and how it works and what the drawbacks may be,” according to Sonya Lunder, a senior analyst at Environmental Working Group.

The report, which rates almost 1500 products based on their ingredients, gives lower scores to products that have SPF over 50 and contain the chemicals Oxybenzone and Retinyl palmitate, which some toxicologists believe could increase the risk of skin cancer.

Henry Lim, a dermatologist and president of the American Academy of Dermatology, notes that retinyl palmitate is being used significantly less often in sunscreens, and the FDA stands behind the safety of oxybenzone, which absorbs ultraviolet light.

He notes that if consumers are worried, they should look closely at the labels and avoid chemicals they are concerned about.

“The consumer really has to rely on what is on the label, look for the SPF numbers and broad spectrum coverage,” he said. “If consumers are concerned about it they can look for it and avoid it.”

The report further says that the Food and Drug Administration has yet to decide whether it will stop allowing sunscreen manufacturers to market their products with SPF numbers higher than 50, even though sunscreens with 90 and 100 SPF coverage often offer similar protection as those that are SPF 50, Lunder said.

People should look for products that provide “broad spectrum” and have 50 SPF when they are outdoors, and at least 30 SPF for everyday use, said Lim, who is not associated with the EWG report.  (ANI)