are you a Coppertone baby?

Do you all stand in the long isle in front of the countless sunscreens at the drug store like I do?! I guess it's marketing at it's best...I never know which product is "best." For the first time in 30 years, the FDA has released new guidelines for sunscreens. With the increase in skin cancer awareness and skin protection, it's important to educate yourself and be knowledgeable of what the labels are telling you, especially since it's prime-time summa and prime-time sunnin' time!

Factors I look for:

UVA/UVB block

SPF number

Cost

Smell 

{yes, weird I know, but I do buy based on better smelling product}

Waterproof. 

Oil free.

{I have had face issues the past year, so I don't need anything else contributing to that problem. I have found most brands make a smaller bottle that is a faces oil free!}

Things to Know:

UVB rays cause sunburns

SPF=protection against UVB only

UVA rays cause premature aging and skin cancer 

"Broad Spectrum"=sunscreen products that pass the FDA’s test for protection against both UVA and UVB rays

Key Ingredients: Zinc or Titanium--minerals that scatter/reflect the sunlight 

SOME CHANGES

The word "sunblock" has to be discontinued because it overstates the product's effectiveness.

Sunscreens will be required to protect against UVA and UVB rays, or they must label with a warning. 

Products will be required to stop claiming their sunscreens are "waterproof" or "sweatproof." Instead, they can be labeled as "water resistant" for 40 minutes. You should be re-applying!

Sunscreens labeled as both Broad Spectrum and SPF 15 (or higher), if used regularly, as directed, and in combination with other sun protection measures will help prevent sunburn, reduce the risk of skin cancer, and reduce the risk of early skin aging.

The maximum sunscreen will be 50+ because there is not sufficient data to show that products with SPF values higher than 50 provide greater protection for users than products with SPF values of 50. 

UVA protection Four Star Rating System:

* low protection

** medium protection

*** high protection

**** the highest UVA protection available in an over-the-counter (OTC) sunscreen product.

Be smart, lather up!
Have a fun and safe summer!

Please follow all sun safety tips and see your dermatologist if you have any skin conditions that are abnormal and require attention.

all information researched from FDA.gov, abclocal.com, & orlandosentinel.com. Please forgive my lack of appropriate citing! I've forgotten all legal rules since college...