HealthTuesday, September 4, 2007 2:52 PM CDT

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Suncreen labels may not
give accurate information

By Fred Tasker
McClatchy Newspapers

MIAMI — Pennsylvania teenager Danielle Utz and her dad, Dan, lying on the Miami Beach, Fla., sand with the rest of the family under a blistering subtropical sun, are trying to decipher the claims on the label of the sunscreen they’re using. “I think 50 SPF means it blocks 50 percent of the suns rays,’’ Dan says.

Wrong.

Danielle begins, then gives up: “I guess I really can’t describe it.’’

The two say they seek brands that call themselves “waterproof’’ — but aren’t sure the claim is accurate.

The FDA has tried at least as far back as 1999 to get sunscreen makers to stop using what the FDA called “unsupported, absolute and/or misleading and confusing terms such as ‘sunblock,’ ‘waterproof’’’ and others. But delays in approving new rules, caused by scientific advances and industry lobbying, means compliance eight years later is voluntary.

And six popular brands recently purchased by The Miami Herald said “waterproof’’ on their front labels — even though the back labels of three said, “Rinse with water to remove.’’

“It puts people at risk,’’ said Dr. Jonette Keri, a dermatologist at the University of Miami School of Medicine. “How can something be waterproof if you can wash it off?’’

She goes on: “Nothing should say ‘waterproof’ or ‘sweatproof.’ And they shouldn’t say ‘sunblock.’ ‘Sweat resistant’ and ‘water resistant’ might be more accurate.’’

Delays in creating accurate, up-to-date label wording create dangers for sun bathers who lack the facts to choose which sunscreen to use and how frequently to re-apply, dermatologists say.

“Most people don’t put on the amount they need,’’ Keri said.

Also, current labels’ SPF ratings express protection against ultraviolet B rays, but not against ultraviolet A rays — which scientists now say may be even more dangerous in terms of skin cancer, said Dr. Vincent DeLeo, associate professor of dermatology at Columbia University.

Some newer sunscreens contain ingredients that offer UVA protection, but there’s no consistent label wording to measure it, he said.

Change may be coming. By early August, the FDA, which was ordered by Congress in 1997 to set new rules for sunscreen labeling, said it will try again. But it’s not easy. Rules proposed by the FDA in 1999 still have not been finalized. And even after the FDA tries again in August, spokeswoman Rita Chappelle said, there will be a 90-day period for public and industry comment and an approval process of unknown length. Then, manufacturers will have one or two years to comply.

She declined to comment on why new rules have taken so long, and wouldn’t give details of what might be proposed.

Another reason for delay has been to catch up with advances in sunscreen protection, said DeLeo, the Columbia University dermatologist.

“Although why that’s taking the FDA 10 years, I don’t know. Sometimes the wheels turn very slowly over there,’’ he said.

One advance: The familiar SPF ratings on sunscreen labels measure the product’s protection against UVB, or ultraviolet B rays, which can cause sunburn and skin cancer. But the proposed rules, as written in 1999, had no method for measuring a sunscreen’s protection against UVA, or ultraviolet A rays. The longer UVA rays penetrate deeper into skin layers and cause wrinkles, aging and skin cancer, DeLeo said.

And since UVA rays are less prone to cause sunburn, a beach fan can lie in the sun for hours, feeling no pain, yet soaking up harmful doses of UVA rays. Worse, UVA rays may damage the immune system, possibly causing melanomas even on parts of the body not exposed to the sun.

Now, researchers have developed effective new active ingredients to protect against UVA rays — avobenzone, oxybenzone and the trademarked name Mexoryl. The ingredients are in many sunscreens now, and purchasers can look for them on back labels, DeLeo said.

“The problem is, you don’t know how much protection you’re getting.’’

In the rules due in August, the FDA is seeking a label system that details UVA protection.

One possibility is Persistent Pigmentation Darkening, or PPD, which uses a one- to three-star system to express UVA protection, DeLeo said. It’s used now in Australia.

Dermatologists recommend a teaspoon of sunscreen for the face and a shot glass full for the rest of the body. But one study showed that a typical sunbather applies only about half that.

“And if you use only half enough, you probably cut your SPF protection by even more than half,’’ said Dr. Susan Weinkle, a Bradenton dermatologist and spokeswoman for the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Finally, no sunscreen, regardless of strength, will stay effective longer than two hours without reapplication, Weinkle said.

But most labels use much vaguer wording.

Says Coppertone Ultraguard Sunscreen Lotion: “Reapply as needed, or after swimming, towel drying, perspiring or vigorous activity.’’

Dan Utz, the Miami Beach sunbather, has some advice for the FDA’s new rules: “They really should tell you how long it lasts and how often you should reapply. They should also put the definition of SPF, since no one seems to know what that means.’’

What sunscreen labels claim:

Coppertone UltraGuard Sunscreen Lotion:

Waterproof

Rinse with water to remove.

Banana Boat Sport Sunblock Lotion:

Ultra Sweatproof

Waterproof.

Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry-Touch Sunblock:

Waterproof

Sweatproof

Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock Lotion:

Waterproof

Coppertone Sport Sunscreen Continuous Spray:

Ultra Sweatproof

Waterproof

Rinse with water to remove.

No-Ad Sunblock Lotion:

Sweatproof

Waterproof

Rinse with water to remove.

What does SPF mean?

SPF (Sunburn Protection Factor): The FDA defines it as “a measure of how much solar energy, or ultraviolet radiation, is required to produce sunburn on skin that is protected by sunscreen.’’

An SPF of 15 blocks 93 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet B rays. An SPF of 30 blocks 97 percent, and an SPF of 50 blocks 99 percent.

The Skin Cancer Foundation said this: “If it takes 20 minutes for your unprotected skin to start turning red, then using an SPF 15 sunscreen theoretically prevents reddening 15 times longer — about five hours.’’

Theoretically, an SPF of 30 would give twice the protection.

But it doesn’t, said Dr. Susan Weinkle, a Bradenton dermatologist and spokeswoman for the Skin Cancer Foundation.

“Those values are measured in a lab, under perfect conditions,’’ she said. “In real life, you swim, you towel off, you perspire, and most people don’t put enough on.’’

A sunscreen’s real protection depends on many factors, including skin type, time of day, nearness to the equator, nearby reflective surfaces such as water, sand and snow and the amount and frequency of application.

What does SPF mean?

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