Beware of Sunscreens!

by Amy Burkholder-CNN

Slathering on sunscreen has become as much a part of the summer ritual as the vacation itself, but a consumer advocacy group has a warning for parents who think they're protecting their family with sunscreen -- you may be getting burned.
The Environmental Working Group, a Washington-based nonprofit, has released an investigation of nearly 1,000 brand-name sunscreens that says four out of five don't adequately protect consumers and may contain harmful chemicals.
The group says some of the products of the nation's leading brands -- including Coppertone, Neutrogena and Banana Boat -- are the poorest performers.
Coppertone was named by the Environmental Working Group as having 41 products that failed to meet the group's criteria for issues ranging from failing to protect adequately to containing potentially harmful ingredients to making unsubstantiated claims.
The makers of Banana Boat, which also failed to meet the Environmental Working Group's standards for various reasons, did not respond to CNN's requests for comment.
Neutrogena says its sunscreen products have been "embraced by dermatologists and consumers for their efficacy," and says its new Helioplex technology provides broad-spectrum UV defense against sun damage.
The science of sunscreens is simple: Active ingredients are compounds that absorb, reflect or block ultraviolet light. Sunscreens are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration not as cosmetics, but over-the-counter drugs. Sunscreens are rated based on their SPF, or "Sun Protection Factor." The higher the SPF, the better the protection against sunburn.
Sunlight is composed of two types of ultraviolet light -- UVB rays, which cause sunburns, and UVA rays, which tan. While both may increase the risk of skin cancer, sun damage and wrinkles, the FDA doesn't require sunscreens to protect against both, just UVB.
The FDA acknowledges new rules mandating UVA testing and labeling requirements are being evaluated, but the Environmental Working Group wants tougher standards now.
"The fact most sunscreens still don't don't offer UVA protection and the fact the FDA has been working for years to finalize its rules is really what provoked us to look at this issue," Lunder says.
Another issue -- is a key sunscreen ingredient safe?

Oxybenzone is a a popular UV filter in many sunscreens, one evaluated by the FDA as safe. The Environmental Working Group says its analysis of hundreds of studies of more than a dozen sunscreen chemicals finds oxybenzone can penetrate the skin and pose health concerns -- anything from hormone disruption to cancer.
The industry group representing sunscreen makers denies oxybenzone causes harm -- and deems such claims irresponsible.
"Questions about the safety of oxybenzone unnecessarily alarm consumers," says John Bailey, the chief scientist for the Personal Care Products Council, which offers its scientific information about the safety of sunscreen ingredients.

"Safe sun" has always been a priority for the American Academy of Dermatology, which sees sun overexposure as the single most preventable risk factor in the more than 1 million new cases of skin cancer expected to be diagnosed in the United States this year.
While dermatologists agree broad spectrum sun protection is important, some experts see an even bigger sun danger if people perceive their sunscreen isn't safe.

Common sense can also protect from the sun. Experts agree babies under 6 months old should be kept out of direct sun. Children need sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher.

If you are sensitive to sunscreen, never go without. Instead, try sunscreens that provide a physical barrier, such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. New micronizing technology makes both appear more transparent on the skin, so you don't have to look like a lifeguard with a white nose.