The fourth annual Sunscreen Guide by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, DC was released Monday, and its researchers recommend only 39 of 500 beach and sport sunscreens on the market this season.
A surge in exaggerated SPF claims (considered above SPF 50) and recent developments in understanding the possible hazards of some sunscreen ingredients are two of the major factors contributing to the EWG’s limited recommendations.
Products with high SPF ratings are problematic because they lull consumers with false confidence in the staying power of their sunscreen, causing people to get burned, and they often provide very little protection against UVA radiation (the cancer-causing type). Since people generally apply about a quarter of the recommended amount, according to the EWG, a product labeled SPF 100 really performs like SPF 3.2, an SPF 30 rating equates to a 2.3 and an SPF 15 translates to 2.
One of the potentially hazardous ingredients in question in sunscreens is Vitamin A, a chemical that has been labeled as highly carcinogenic in the media recently—a move which may be premature. Another study released by the EWG looks at data from a 2009 FDA study of retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A found in 41 percent of sunscreens, and is the cause of this stir. The FDA study and subsequent analysis investigates whether this chemical, when applied to skin that is then exposed to sunlight, may accelerate skin damage and elevate skin cancer risk. FDA data suggest that vitamin A may be photocarcinogenic, meaning that in the presence of the sun's ultraviolet rays, the compound and skin undergo complex biochemical changes resulting in cancer.
The findings, which are public but aren’t expected to be announced until next winter (and will reportedly be peer-reviewed in January 2011), from the one-year study show that cancerous cells developed 21 percent faster in lab mice who received an application of cream containing vitamin A than a control group who were treated with a vitamin-free version. Both lab groups were exposed to the equivalent of nine minutes of direct noontime Florida Sun every day for a year.
However, the study tested plain vitamin A cream, not sunscreen containing vitamin A, on the mice. However, the FDA has long cautioned that plain vitamin A compounds and sun don't mix, as vitamin A-loaded products like RetinA or Accutane can exacerbate sun damage.
The other major potentially hazardous sunscreen ingredient is Oxybenzone, a hormone-disrupting chemical compound that penetrates the skin and enters the bloodstream. It was found in about 60 percent of the sunscreens analyzed.
Consumer Reports also released their list of best sunscreens, with 4 out of the 12 tested grabbing "best" honors. Consumer Reports tested 12 sunscreen sprays--although the EWG recommends avoiding sprays altogether. The four best sunscreens provided Very Good UVA protection and Excellent UVB protection, and met their SPF claim even after treated skin was immersed in water for 80 minutes. In addition to testing performance, Consumer Reports also assessed the smell, feel and absorption of the products, because, they argue, consumers who feel their sun protection stinks or feels greasy, simply won't use it. Each of the four best had a slight or moderately intense floral or citrus scent, and left little residue on the skin.
The best sun protection sccording the the EWG is old-fashioned: cover up with a hat, clothing, and stay in the shade. All of the EWG's top-rated sunscreens contain the minerals zinc or titanium. None of the products contain oxybenzone or vitamin A, and none are sprayed or powdered. Many people are hesitant to use mineral sunscreens because they can have a thicker feel, leave a white residue on the skin, or have an odd smell.
Up Up Sport Continuous SPF 30 (by Target)
not listed in EWG's database
Walgreens Sport Continuous SPF 50
not listed in EWG's database
Banana Boat Sport Performance Continuous SPF 30
Ranked a 7 ("Avoid") on EWG’s scale because it contains Vitamin A and is a spray
Aveeno Continuous Protection SPF 50
Ranked a 7 ("Avoid") on EWG’s scale because it contains oxybenzone, Vitamin A, and it’s a spray
All Terrain
Aquasport Performance Sunscreen, SPF 30
TerraSport Performance Sunscreen, SPF 30
KidSport Performance Sunscreen, SPF 30
Badger
Sunscreen for Face and Body, Unscented, SPF 30
Sunscreen for Face and Body, SPF 30 Lightly Scented
Sunscreen for Face and Body, SPF 15 Lightly Scented
Beyond Coastal
Lip and Face Screen, SPF 30
California Baby
Sunblock Stick No Fragrance, SPF 30+
Sunscreen Lotion No Fragrance, SPF 30+
Sunscreen Lotion Everyday/Year-Round, SPF 30+
Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 30+, Citronella
Sunblock Stick Everyday/Year-Round, SPF 30+
Caribbean Solutions
Natural/Biodegradable SolGuard, SPF 25
Sol Kid Kare Natural Sunscreen, SPF 25
Desert Essence
Age Reversal SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen
Episencial
Sunny Sunscreen, SPF 35
Estion
Sunscreen with Zinc, SPF 38
Jason Natural Cosmetics
Sunbrellas: Mineral Based Physical Sunblock, SPF 30+
Sunbrellas: Chemical Free Sunblock, SPF 30+
Earth’s Best: Sunblock Mineral Based, SPF 30+
Kabana Skin Care
Green Screen Organic Sunscreen Fragrance Free, SPF 20
Green Screen Organic Sunscreen, SPF 22, Skin Tone Tinted
L’uvalla Certified Organic
SPF 20 Sunscreen Face/Body
La Roche-Posay
Anthelios 40 Sunscreen Cream
Little Forest
Sunscreen Lotion For Babies and Kids, SPF 30+
Loving Naturals
Sunscreen, SPF 30+
Miessence
Reflect Outdoor Balm, SPF 15
Purple Prairie Botanicals
SunStuff, SPF 30
Sun Stick, SPF 30
SunStuff, SPF 15
Soleo Organics
All Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+
Soleo Organics/Wyland Organics All Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+
Soleo Organics/Atlantis Resort All Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+
thinkbaby and thinksport
Sunscreen, SPF 30+
Trukid
Sunny Days Face and Body Stick, SPF 30+
UV Natural
Baby Sunscreen, SPF 30+
Sunscreen Sport, SPF 30+
Sunscreen, SPF 30+
Vanicream
Sunscreen Sport, SPF 35
Lyssa Myska Allen is editorial director at EndlessBeauty.com
Comments
Very informative post thanks for share this with us i highly appreciate you for this information
CISM exam
640-811 exam
1z0-053 exam
SK0-003 exam
EC0-350 exam
70-284 exam
642-504 exam
312-49 exam
This is definitely not a good stat at all. I cannot understand why this is so low. So there is so many on the market that are not working. zoloft attorney
I once went to the seaside with some friends of ours and their newborn. Yes, you heard it well, they took their newborn, two months old, at the seaside. I was very worried for the little baby because I assumed those weren`t adequate conditions for someone who has barely seen the light of day. Yet, his parents took best care of him, protected him from sunlight, fed him with his favorite infant formula, dressed him in white little clothes so heat won`t affect him. And there you go, we assisted at the little baby`s first summer vacation by the ocean shores. Things turned out great in the end.
Soleo Organics All Natural Sunscreen is available at many fine online retailers, as well as most Whole Foods stores around the country.
I highly recommend Jason Natural Cosmetics. I use the products and am very pleased with them. I know you can purchase them at Nature's Market in Houston, Texas.
Very interesting article. Especially about Vitamin A. Conventional wisdom is that vitamins are good, at least I'd think that. I've used California Baby, good stuff.
Oh wow, none of the sunscreens I use made the list. And I've only ever bought sunscreen at the drugstore - go figure. For the ones that did make the list, do you know where I can get them? I haven't heard of a lot of these brands, so I'm guessing online?
A lot of the brands are smaller, so online is a good bet. You might also check your local health-food grocery store (like Natural Grocers/Vitamin Cottage or Sun Harvest/Wild Oats).
scary, i had no idea. Now i know what to look for when it comes to sunscreen. I do think tho that i am going to invest in a big summer hat and stay in the shade...