Sunscreen products: Be smart and protect yourself this summer!
Sunscreen products: Be smart and protect yourself this summer!
At the start of the holiday season, the European Commission is seeking to alert consumers to the importance of protecting themselves better this summer. (see IP/09/1057). Sunscreen products protect from UV radiation and can be effective in preventing sun-burn and skin cancer.
Consumers should therefore use sunscreens appropriately, and clearer labelling of sunscreen products should help consumers to make better informed choices.
The Commission is also seeking to remind consumers that there are several reasons why sunscreen products should be only one out of a number of measures to protect from the UV radiation of the sun. See information, facts and figures and pictograms below.
1. Choose sunscreen products with UVA and UVB protection
Most importantly, consumers should choose sunscreen products offering protection against UVB and UVA radiation as both are harmful to human health: While “sun-burn” and cancer risk are mainly provoked by UVB radiation, UVA radiation is responsible for skin ageing, impacts on the human immune system and is an important contributor to the skin cancer risk.
The problem is that the “sun protection factor” (SPF) only indicates protection against UVB radiation. In the past it has been difficult for the consumer to know whether a sunscreen product also protects against UVA radiation, due to varying claims, such as "broad spectrum", "broad extra UVA, UVB", "100% anti UVA/UVB/IR".
"keeps short UVA radiation away", " UVA of 30A", "strengthened protection UVA", "UVB absorption spectrum 30/UVA 30", "25B 7 A", "SPF 30, UVA protection index factor 10", "SPF 60-IPD 55-PPD12", "broad spectrum contain UVA filters", "with UVA filters", "protection according to the Australian standard", etc.
Following a Commission recommendation of September 2006, simple claims should be used (such as "low", "medium", "high", very high"), as well as a standardised logo for UVA protection. With this logo, consumers can know they have a quantified minimum UV-A protection which increases in parallel with the increasing sun protection factor and is based on a standard testing method.
2. What should consumers know about sunscreens for this summer?
There is an improved labelling regime with clearer information for consumers since summer 2007, which increased market share in 2008 and 2009. Virtually all (96%) sunscreens produced in 2009 will bear the new labelling, according to the cosmetics industry.
3. What sun protection factor should consumers choose?
The sun protection factor (SPF) is a score used to describe the ‘strength’ of the product to protect against “sun–burn”, i.e. mainly UVB radiation. It is important to know that an SPF over 50 practically does not increase the protection against sun burn and UVB radiation.
Rather, if a product is applied correctly (see below), an SPF of 15-25 suffices to protect a person with normal skin from sun burn.
4. There is no sun block or total protection
Sunscreen products cannot deliver total protection from UV radiation. Even the high SPFs do let some of the UV radiation through. This holds also true for products claiming to be a “sun block” or to offer “total protection”. Claims giving the impression of total protection, such as “sunblocker”, should be phased out and disappear.
5. Consumers are advised the following:
Use sunscreen products only as one out of many measures to protect against the sun. Measures include:
Avoid excessive sun exposure at peak hours, which is usually between 11am and 3pm;
When it is not possible to stay out of the sun, keep yourself well covered;
Hats and sun glasses can give you additional protection;
Avoid direct sun exposure of babies and young children;
Use sunscreens products protecting against both UVB and UVA radiation;
Apply sunscreen products regularly to maintain the protection claimed;
Apply sunscreen products in sufficient quantity.
At the start of the holiday season, the European Commission is seeking to alert consumers to the importance of protecting themselves better this summer. (see IP/09/1057). Sunscreen products protect from UV radiation and can be effective in preventing sun-burn and skin cancer.
Consumers should therefore use sunscreens appropriately, and clearer labelling of sunscreen products should help consumers to make better informed choices.
The Commission is also seeking to remind consumers that there are several reasons why sunscreen products should be only one out of a number of measures to protect from the UV radiation of the sun. See information, facts and figures and pictograms below.
1. Choose sunscreen products with UVA and UVB protection
Most importantly, consumers should choose sunscreen products offering protection against UVB and UVA radiation as both are harmful to human health: While “sun-burn” and cancer risk are mainly provoked by UVB radiation, UVA radiation is responsible for skin ageing, impacts on the human immune system and is an important contributor to the skin cancer risk.
The problem is that the “sun protection factor” (SPF) only indicates protection against UVB radiation. In the past it has been difficult for the consumer to know whether a sunscreen product also protects against UVA radiation, due to varying claims, such as "broad spectrum", "broad extra UVA, UVB", "100% anti UVA/UVB/IR".
"keeps short UVA radiation away", " UVA of 30A", "strengthened protection UVA", "UVB absorption spectrum 30/UVA 30", "25B 7 A", "SPF 30, UVA protection index factor 10", "SPF 60-IPD 55-PPD12", "broad spectrum contain UVA filters", "with UVA filters", "protection according to the Australian standard", etc.
Following a Commission recommendation of September 2006, simple claims should be used (such as "low", "medium", "high", very high"), as well as a standardised logo for UVA protection. With this logo, consumers can know they have a quantified minimum UV-A protection which increases in parallel with the increasing sun protection factor and is based on a standard testing method.
2. What should consumers know about sunscreens for this summer?
There is an improved labelling regime with clearer information for consumers since summer 2007, which increased market share in 2008 and 2009. Virtually all (96%) sunscreens produced in 2009 will bear the new labelling, according to the cosmetics industry.
3. What sun protection factor should consumers choose?
The sun protection factor (SPF) is a score used to describe the ‘strength’ of the product to protect against “sun–burn”, i.e. mainly UVB radiation. It is important to know that an SPF over 50 practically does not increase the protection against sun burn and UVB radiation.
Rather, if a product is applied correctly (see below), an SPF of 15-25 suffices to protect a person with normal skin from sun burn.
4. There is no sun block or total protection
Sunscreen products cannot deliver total protection from UV radiation. Even the high SPFs do let some of the UV radiation through. This holds also true for products claiming to be a “sun block” or to offer “total protection”. Claims giving the impression of total protection, such as “sunblocker”, should be phased out and disappear.
5. Consumers are advised the following:
Use sunscreen products only as one out of many measures to protect against the sun. Measures include:
Avoid excessive sun exposure at peak hours, which is usually between 11am and 3pm;
When it is not possible to stay out of the sun, keep yourself well covered;
Hats and sun glasses can give you additional protection;
Avoid direct sun exposure of babies and young children;
Use sunscreens products protecting against both UVB and UVA radiation;
Apply sunscreen products regularly to maintain the protection claimed;
Apply sunscreen products in sufficient quantity.
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