For the first time since 1999, the FDA has issued new rules that will begin taking effect in the coming year. These rules represent the first U.S standards for UVA testing and labeling; the rules would also cap advertised SPF at 50+ while banning other labeling terms altogether.
To date, a sunscreen’s efficacy is measured solely by SPF (Sun Protection Factor). SPF numbers indicate how long it will take for UVB rays to redden your skin. The higher the SPF, the longer the skin can be exposed to the sun without burning. The new FDA standards will create regulation for UVA protection. UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin, causing damage without visible burning.
Today two categories of sun protection are available at the consumer level: sunblocks and sunscreens. Sunblocks contain ingredients such as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone, or mexoryl. These ingredients are used to protect the skin from UVA rays. Until now, the FDA in the United States did not have a criteria set for determining or labeling a sunblock’s level of UVA protection. Standardized UVA testing and labeling has been used outside the U.S., mainly in Europe. A notable FDA change will alter labels from sunblock to sunscreen.
The proposed regulations on UVA standards will incorporate a 1-4 star rating system (a 4 star rating is best). Products that do not include a star rating will be marked “No UVA protection”.
The SPF rating system found on all sunscreens will be referred to as “Sunburn Protection Factor” instead of “Sun Protection Factor”, narrowing message focus to UVB rather than broad protection against “sun.”
Further proposals recommended by the FDA to labeling sunscreens are:
Sunscreen packaging must include a warning that sunscreen is just one part of a comprehensive sun protection program, along with instructions to reapply every two hours, limit sun exposure, and wear protective clothing.
50+ would be the highest SPF manufacturers could claim. In 1999, the FDA proposed limiting SPFs to 30+, but the Skin Cancer Foundation and other groups argued that this number was to low. An SPF of 15 filters out 93% of UVB, SPF 30 filters out 97% and SPF 50 filters 98%. These differences can be significant for people who are prone to skin cancer or sun damage, who have a suppressed immune system, or who are taking medications that cause photosensitivity. Numbers above 50, however, offer negligible increases in protection. “The 50+ SPF cap will ensure adequately protective sunscreen products, while avoiding a needless SPF ‘race to the top’ by manufacturers,” notes Warwick L. Morison, MD Chairman of the Foundation’s Photobiology Committee.
The terms “waterproof” and “sunblock” would be disallowed to avoid misleading consumers. No sunscreen is entirely impervious to water or able to “block” the rays completely. Products that retain their SPFs after 40 or 80 minutes’ immersion in water would be labeled “water resistant” or “very water resistant,” respectively.
With these new changes in regulations, you will be sure that the company you are purchasing sunscreen from is giving you the adequate protection for your money.
Print | posted on Tuesday, August 25, 2009 12:00 AM
