SPF Claims Fall Short For Many Sunscreens

Presented by TP Mechanical | Provided by HORAN

According to a new study from Consumer Reports, 43 percent of sunscreen products do not live up to the sun protection factor (SPF) claims on their bottles.

Consumer Reports found that 13 out of the 35 sunscreen lotions tested had an SPF of less than 30, despite claiming to have at least an SPF of 30 on their labels. The majority of products that fell short on their SPF numbers did so by 10 to 15 points. However, some products were labeled as SPF 50, and were only found to have an SPF of 8.

The study found that sunscreens with active chemical ingredients like avobenzone and ecamsule performed better during testing than those with natural ingredients like zinc oxide.

For more information about the report and to see the top performers, click here. To promote further sun protection, the American Academy of Dermatology encourages people to wear protective clothing when going outdoors and to stay in the shade when possible to reduce the risk of skin cancer.

 


This article is intended for informational purposes only and is not intended to be exhaustive, nor should any discussion or opinions be construed as professional advice. Readers should contact a health professional for appropriate advice.

© 2016 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.

May is Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month

Presented by TP Mechanical | Provided by HORAN

Did you know that it only takes 15 minutes for the sun to damage your skin but 12 hours for that damage to become visible? Many individuals suffer from hours of skin damage before even realizing that their skin is in danger.

Woman using suncream
Woman using suncream

Since skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, you should keep these prevention tips in mind:

  • Try to stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
  • Wear clothes with tightly woven fabric and a hat that shades your face, neck and ears.
  • Wear sunscreen every day that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15.
  • Routinely inspect your skin, and, if you suspect that a spot on your skin is new or has changed color or appearance, contact a dermatologist.