Do you know what SPF stands for?
What about that number that follows it? Does sunscreen really
stay on after a dip in the pool?
The U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) is hoping to clear up some of this
confusion with new rules for manufacturers on sunscreen
labeling, aiming to help consumers protect their skin with the
right sunscreen, which experts say too few people use
adequately.
Protecting the
skin is crucial for preventing skin cancer, the most common kind
of cancer in the U.S. About 1 million Americans get skin cancer
each year, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell
carcinoma and melanoma, the most serious kind of skin cancer.
From 2006 to
2010, nearly 9,650 Georgians had melanoma and nearly 1,000 died
from it between 2004 and 2008. Although people with lighter skin
tones are at greater risk, people with darker skin can get skin
cancer as well. It's important for everyone to know how to
protect skin, starting with using sunscreen correctly.
The FDA now urges
all consumers to use broad-spectrum sunscreen, meaning that the
product protects skin from two types of cancer-causing sun rays:
UVA rays, which age the skin, and UVB rays, which burn the skin.
The agency also said sunscreen should have an SPF, or sun
protection factor, between 15 and 50, noting that there is no
evidence that SPFs above 50 provide extra protection.
Under the new
rules, sunscreens can no longer be labeled as "waterproof" or
"sweat-proof," since taking a dip or working up a sweat do make
sunscreen less effective. Sunscreens now will be labeled as
water- or sweat-resistant, with a time limit -- 40 or 80 minutes
-- after which users should reapply sunscreen if they go for a
swim or get sweaty.
Buying the right
sunscreen is the start of skin protection, but using it
correctly is just as important. It takes about one ounce of
sunscreen -- enough to fill a shot glass -- to cover an average
adult. No matter the SPF, sunscreen should be reapplied every
two hours or more frequently if you are sweating or swimming.
But sunscreen
isn't the only way to protect skin, and many experts say people
who use sunscreen shouldn't assume that they are completely
protected from the sun's harmful rays. It's a good idea to take
extra steps to limit your exposure to the sun, including wearing
protective clothing (hats, shirts, pants and sunglasses) and
staying indoors during the sun's peak hours, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Also, parents should take extra steps to protect their
children's skin from the sun. According to the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, just a few sunburns in childhood
or adolescence increases the risk that a child will develop skin
cancer later in life. Make sure children use the right amount of
sunscreen and reapply it often. Follow directions on the label
about using sunscreen in babies younger than 6 months old, but
CDC said the best protection for young children is to keep them
in the shade and fully covered.
