Only 1 out of 4 sunscreens are safe and effective, recent study finds
TAMPA, Fla. - A new study reveals that 75% of SPF products fall short on sun protection, and many still contain ingredients that could harm consumers' health.
The study comes as part of the activist non-profit Environmental Working Group's (EWG) 2024 Guide to Sunscreens.
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The group, which specializes in toxic chemical research, claims that the FDA's lack of new sunscreen approvals has left the U.S. lagging behind other countries.
EWG tested 1,700 products, including recreational sunscreens and daily-use SPF products. Of those products tested, researchers found that nearly 300 contained the chemicals oxybenzone, octinoxate, or both. Half of the products raised ‘significant concerns’ about allergies, and nearly 30% listed ‘Fragrance’ on the label as an undisclosed mystery ingredient.
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The findings arrive amid a continued increase in skin cancer cases. Doing your own self-examinations can help you spot any changes to moles on your skin. You can use the "A-B-C-D-E" tip to help identify any potential issues.
"A, asymmetry," explained Dr. Susan Massick, an Ohio State University dermatologist, "So one half looks different than the other half. B, border: is the border nice and regular, or is it notched and irregular. C, color, and it’s variation of color. The D stands for diameter, greater than half a centimeter in size. And E is for evolution. That means change. Whether it's change in size, color, shape."
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Despite the findings, the new sunscreen guide is getting some pushback from the Personal Care Products Council, which represents 90% of the U.S. beauty industry including big-name sunscreen makers.
In a statement, the council said the EWG sunscreen guide "misleads consumers into assuming sunscreen products are unsafe, thereby jeopardizing public health. Sunscreen is a crucial and well-recognized tool in the fight against skin cancer. Our goal is to help consumers make informed decisions and continue to use sunscreens as an important part of their daily health routine."
"For these reasons, we remain concerned that the Sunscreen Innovation Act, which was signed into law in 2014, has not lived up to its promise to increase the speed of approvals for new active sunscreen ingredients. The FDA has not approved new UV filters since 1999. Additionally, globally approved filters used in Europe and other regions are not available in the U.S., greatly limiting options for American consumers."