Start looking for more than SPF on your sunscreen label

By J. Suzanne Mosher

In 2012, the FDA updated sunscreen labeling guidelines to help Americans make better choices to protect their skin. Until the new guidelines went into effect last June, sunscreen’s sun protection factor (SPF) was the only measure of protection a sunscreen offered, but the new guidelines will include additional information about the sunscreen’s strength.

SPF only measures how well a sunscreen product protects against ultraviolet B (UVB) rays and sunburn; it does not measure how well sunscreen protects against ultraviolet A (UVA) rays, which can cause skin cancer and premature sun aging, known as photoaging.

Luckily, these new FDA labels divide sunscreens into two kinds: Those that only help prevent sunburn and those that help prevent sunburn, skin cancer and photoaging.

Labels on the first kind will warn that the products have been shown to protect only against sunburn and will include explicit warnings that the product does not protect against skin cancer or skin aging. Labels on the second kind will say the products are “broad spectrum” and will state clearly that the products offer both types of protection. Products with this label must pass testing requirements to prove they meet the standard definition of “broad spectrum” and have an SPF value of 15 or higher.

The new guidelines don’t stop there: FDA regulations ban claims that a product is “waterproof” or “sweatproof” or acts as a “sunblock.” Products may claim that a product is water resistant but for only a specified time: either 40 minutes or 80 minutes. Labels cannot claim “instant protection” or that they work for more than two hours after you apply them.

High SPF values, as well as terms like “waterproof” and “sunblock,” can give you a false sense of security that you can stay in the sun longer than you really should, leading to an increased risk of skin cancer later in life. While SPF 100 sunscreen can delay burning twice as long as an SPF 50 sunscreen, the difference between how much UVB they block is minimal. This is why the FDA has also proposed, but not yet instituted, a regulation requiring SPF values to max out at 50. Any sunscreens above that would be labeled as “SPF 50+.”

As a rule of thumb, sunscreen applications should be a blob the size of a golf ball, and should be reapplied every two hours – more frequently if you sweat a lot.

Remember, sunscreen isn’t the only way to protect against the sun’s rays. Some skin experts argue the best protection from the sun is sun-protective clothing. Wearing a broad brimmed hat and UPF 50+ sun protective clothing is effective in minimizing the body surface area that requires sunscreen. Large retail stores like Target and Walmart carry UPF 50+ hats and clothing.

Whichever sun protection method suits you best, make sure that you stay safe in the sun while enjoying your favorite summertime activities!

Dr. J. Suzanne Mosher, a board-certified dermatologist, performs Mohs surgery at the Watertown Center on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Dr. Frederic Mohs developed the technique of Mohs surgery in the 1930’s, and it became a popular way to treat skin cancer throughout the last two decades, as rates of non-melanoma skin cancer have been on the rise. Mohs surgery allows for the removal of a skin cancer with very narrow surgical margin and a high cure rate. The cure rate with Mohs surgery cited by most studies is between 97% and 99.8% for primary basal cell carcinoma.