The Environmental Working Group recommends consumers avoid products that claim an SPF higher than 50+. "More than one in ten of the sunscreens we reviewed claim to have an SPF greater than 50+. Labeling sunscreens at higher levels could provide users with a false sense of sun protection, the FDA said. That's because there's no good data showing sunscreens can protect past a level of 60+ SPF. "Sun protection factor," or SPF, is what most Americans look at when they choose a sunscreen - the higher the SPF the better, right? Wrong.Ĭhoosing a 100+ SPF isn't more protective than a sunscreen rated at 60+ SPF, according to the FDA. So we've definitely seen a drop in oxybenzone over the last year or two." Misleading claims "Last year it was only 40% and this year it's 38%. "Two, three years ago 60% of the non-mineral products contained oxybenzone," Leiba said. "We're definitely seeing an increase in the past three to five years of the daily use moisturizer with SPF based on mineral ingredients," she added.Īt the same time, another trend is occurring - a reduction in the use of oxybenzone in US products. "This year it's right around 45% of all the products in the guide have mineral active ingredients, whether that be zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or a combination of both," Burns said. The number of products containing minerals has been growing as consumers reach for products that are safer for both human health and the environment, said Carla Burns, EWG's senior analyst of healthy living science. Sunscreens made with minerals physically deflect and block the sun's rays, as opposed to sunscreens with chemical filters that absorb the UVB rays and release heat as they break down.Īnother plus - mineral ingredients don't appear to harm the environment. Mineral optionsįor those who are concerned about chemicals entering their bloodstream, there are two types of mineral (not chemical) sunscreen ingredients considered safe and effective by the FDA: titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Hawaii, the US Virgin Islands, Key West and the Pacific island of Palau currently ban the use of sunscreen products containing oxybenzone and octinoxate, and more locations worldwide are considering the same. Oxybenzone and octinoxate have also been linked to damage to coral reefs and marine life. Research has shown a potential link between oxybenzone and lower testosterone levels in adolescent boys, hormone changes in men, and shorter pregnancies and disrupted birth weights in babies. A 2010 study found another commonly used chemical, octinoxate, in breast milk. Those chemicals are part of a dozen that the FDA has been asking manufacturers to research for years so they can be considered GRASE or "generally recognized as safe and effective."īesides oxybenzone and homosalate, the chemicals that need safety testing are avobenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, cinoxate, dioxybenzone, ensulizole, meradimate, padimate O and sulisobenzone.Ī 2008 Swiss study found oxybenzone or one of four other sunscreen chemicals in 85% of breast milk samples, sparking concern that newborns could be exposed. The cloth provides a little space between your skin and the rays, and also occludes a lot of the rays," Leiba said. "A good T-shirt blocks the sun's rays so much more effectively than a bad sunscreen. "There are at least 200 recreational sunscreens in our database that got a thumbs up."īesides, consumers should always rely on safe sun practices first, then apply sunscreen, experts say. "The answer is not to throw up our hands and say no sunscreen is safe," said Nneka Leiba, EWG's vice president of healthy living science. This year, EWG analyzed an additional 500 sunscreens, bringing the total to over 1,800 products, and found that 75% did not provide adequate sun protection or included ingredients linked to harm. (CNN) - As you choose your sunscreen for summer fun, be careful to avoid products with harmful chemicals and false advertising claims, according to the 15th Annual Guide to Sunscreens, published by the Environmental Working Group, a consumer organization that advocates for environmental safety.
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