Many Popular Sunscreens Do Not Meet Expected Standards

With the approaching Eid al-Fitr holiday during these days of intense summer sun, particularly the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts will see a major influx of holidaymakers. One of the first items associated with summer and the beach season is sunscreen. The risks of unprotected sun exposure, and sunlight’s role as the skin’s leading aging factor, are now widely known, as is the ability of sunscreens to reduce these risks. But can every sunscreen sold protect us? Does a more expensive cream provide more effective protection?

According to a study published in the respected medical journal JAMA Dermatology, many high-factor sunscreens fail to meet American Academy of Dermatology standards because of poor water resistance.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in America, and exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays is its leading cause. According to the JAMA Dermatology study, a large proportion of 65 high-factor sunscreens sold on Amazon.com, the world’s largest e-commerce website, do not reflect American Academy of Dermatology standards. Poor water resistance was suggested as the reason.

What Are the Benefits of Sunscreen?

• Protecting against sunburn,
• Reducing premature skin aging,
• Helping treat photosensitive dermatitis, and
• skin cancerrisk reduction

However, few studies have examined why consumers choose particular sunscreens.

Using consumer reviews, researchers identified the most popular 1% of 6500 sun-protection products sold on Amazon.com in December 2015.

Of the 65 selected products, 40% failed to meet American Academy of Dermatology standards for sun-protection products, including broad-spectrum protection, water resistance, and a minimum sun protection factor of 30 SPF.

Cosmetic elegance was the positive feature most often mentioned by consumers, followed by product effectiveness and suitability for their skin type. Prices of products in the study varied by more than 3000%.

According to the findings, when recommending sunscreens to patients, doctors should balance the importance of cosmetic elegance, adequate sun protection, and price.

In conclusion , this study should not be interpreted as showing that sunscreens fail to protect against the sun’s harmful effects. On the contrary, they are highly effective products for sun protection. The study emphasized the importance of reapplying sunscreen, especially after swimming in the sea or a pool, and that expensive creams do not necessarily provide the best protection.