What are the new regulations for sunscreen labels?

Congress is working to update how sunscreen will soon be rated for both UVA and UVB rays.  SPF numbers only measure a product’s ability to block UVB rays (the main cause of sunburn) so many consumers do not understand how well their sunscreen protects from cancer-causing UVA rays.  The SUN Act would force the FDA to put in place a measure for manufacturers to test their sunscreens for UVA-blocking power and adhere these ratings to all packaging.  We fully support this much needed change in suncare industry.

My oldest child’s skin is darker and she tans very easily. Do I need to be just as careful with her as with my more fair skinned child?

Absolutely. Your oldest child’s darker skin has more natural protection, but only the equivalent of about an SPF 5…about the same protection as wearing a white tee shirt. Each of your children, regardless of skin tone, should get into the habit of applying a lotion sunscreen before they get dressed, each and every morning, year-round. Even when it’s cloudy outside, 80 percent of invisible UV rays still hit your child’s skin.

Is it OK for my children to get a suntan if they don’t burn?

A tan is an important sign that your skin is trying to protect itself from the sun. There is no such thing as a safe tan. To get a tan, sun damage has to occur! When once a tan was regarded as desirable or even healthy, as education about sun safety spreads, it is increasingly interpreted as a sign of ignorance.

Does my family needs the health benefits of Vitamin D that come from unprotected sun exposure?

Overwhelming evidence tells us that UV radiation from the sun is the primary cause of skin cancer.  Media that suggests unprotected sun exposure misleads readers about the very real dangers of sun exposure. While Vitamin D may be one benefit of ultraviolet light exposure, individuals who forgo sun protective behaviors hoping that sunlight will lower their risks for various diseases are putting themselves more at risk for skin cancer.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released new guidelines (October 13, 2008) on vitamin D for infants, children and adolescents today at a time when medical conditions attributable to low vitamin D levels such as rickets appear to be on the rise in the U.S.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has doubled its recommendation for all ages.  The new pediatric guidelines recommend a daily dose of 400 international units of vitamin D per child per day -doubling the group’s old recommendations.

The Department of Health and Human Services recently declared UV radiation produced by the sun as a known carcinogen. It is dangerous to think that sunlight is a safe “cure” for other health conditions.  Children could get an adequate amount of the nutrient from drinking six glasses of milk a day or eating fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel.

What does the term broad spectrum mean?

The term broad spectrum refers to a sunscreen’s ability to protect from both UVA (the aging rays) and UVB (the burning rays).

Important to note is the difference between your UVB from your UVA and the term “broad-spectrum protection.”  First thing to know: Ultraviolet light from the sun comes in several wavelengths: UVA, UVB and the rarely discussed UVC (which is blocked out by the Earth’s ozone layer).

UVB, which damages the outer layer of the skin, has been recognized as the cause of sunburn and as a major contributor to skin cancer and skin aging.  When sunscreens were developed, they were made to prevent sunburn and targeted UVB.  An SPF number refers to the UVB burning protection a product offers (one with an SPF of 15, applied generously, allows the user to stay in the sun 15 times longer without burning).

Recently we have learned that UVA rays — while not contributing to sunburns — damage deeper layers of the skin and probably play an important role in wrinkling, spotting, lost elasticity and, most ominously, the dangerous skin cancer melanoma. 

UVA rays, unlike UVB rays, are equally potent year-round and at all times of day. So UVA damage, is a more constant threat.

A standard ratings scale for UVA protection is expected in the near future.

Important to note when selecting a sun protection line is which UVA active ingredients are stabilized when exposed to the sun’s damaging rays.  Look for Avobenzone (when present with Octocrylene) and/or a combination of Titanium Dioxide and Zinc for UVA and UVB protection.