New Screen regulations announce that there is no such thing as sun block or water proof
Parsing The Details Of New Sunscreen Regulations
via NPR.org
The federal Food and Drug Administration is ordering sunscreen manufacturers to change the way they label their products to prohibit the use of certain marketing terms. The rules are also designed to clear up confusion about the meaning of “sun protection factor,” or SPF, and other terms like “waterproof.”
SPF measures a sunscreen’s ability to prevent sunburn, which is caused by ultraviolet B (UVB) light. Scientists now also know that ultraviolet A (UVA) is a major cause of aging and also contributes to skin cancer. But SPF labels on sunscreen do not currently address the risks of UVA light.
“Consumers might have a misinterpretation, not realizing that they’re not being fully protected,” says Michael Hansen, a senior scientist at Consumers Union, a group that has been pushing the FDA for years to require better sunscreen labels.
The new FDA rule should help by requiring any sunscreen that calls itself “broad spectrum” to protect against both UVB and UVA. Some people who work regularly in the sun think that’s a good idea.
“I already have some wrinkles on my forehead from doing six summers of this,” says Mohican pool manager Ellen Hearle, age 21, outside Washington, D.C.
Hearle also says she would like a sunscreen that did not wash off in the pool.
“I definitely need something that’s waterproof, because we’re going in the water a lot,” she says.
Reading The Labels
The FDA says there’s no such thing as a waterproof sunscreen. They all wash off in the pool, or with sweat. Starting next summer, the best a label will be able to claim is that a sunscreen is water resistant.
That leaves the question of how to avoid cancer-causing rays while manufacturers retool sunscreens and labels. David Leffell, professor of dermatology at Yale University, has a few recommendations for this summer.
“No. 1, make sure that your sunscreen has an SPF of 30,” Leffell says.
No. 2 on Leffell’s list: “Make sure that it says broad spectrum,” protecting against both UVA and UVB. For UVA, Leffell says to look for products that contain zinc oxide or avobenzone.
Accidental Bear 