A common and subtle danger at the beach is skin damage from sunlight — and yet a new, independent review of sunscreen products reports that only 16 percent of them are both safe and effective.
Each year, more than a million cases of skin cancer are detected in the U.S. By far the most deadly of these cancers is melanoma, which accounted for an estimated 62,000 new invasive cases in 2006 and causes about 8,000 deaths a year.
In recent years, the number of cases of melanoma has grown faster than any other type of cancer. And exposure to ultraviolet light — especially UV-B — is the greatest risk factor for all forms of skin cancer. At greatest risk are people with severe sunburns, light-sensitive skin, and a family history of melanoma.
While 53 is the average age for the diagnosis of melanoma, and it is rare in children, studies indicate that severe burns in childhood set the stage for the later development of melanoma in adults.
The best ways to minimize the risk of melanoma and other skin cancers, and to prevent skin aging, are to avoid overexposure to peak times of sunlight (noon to 2 p.m.) and to apply (liberally and frequently) a sunscreen product with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.
But there's more to this story. According to a report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG), you need to choose your sunscreen carefully. Though disputed by representatives for the cosmetic industry and by some dermatologists, EWG's analysis of 785 different sunscreen products indicated that 84 percent of those products claiming an SFP greater than 15 either did not meet those claims or contained ingredients that may be unsafe.
The EWG did not carry out their own studies of these products; rather, they based their report on a review of nearly 400 available documents, including scientific studies and industry reports, as well as regulatory data from government, academic institutions, and industry.
The EWG states that many sunscreen ingredients break down during sunlight exposure and that evidence does not support many company claims, such as that they are "waterproof," they provide "all-day protection," and they "block all harmful rays."
The EWG report states, "Only 16 percent of the products on the market are both safe and effective, blocking both UVA and UVB radiation, remaining stable in sunlight, and containing few if any ingredients with significant known or suspected health hazards." You might want to look at the EWG rankings of sunscreens posted on their Web site.
And of course even the best sunscreen does no good if it stays in the bottle.
