Sunscreens Are Not Created Equal

Did you know sunscreen can prevent sunburn, reduce your risk of getting skin cancer and help prevent early signs of skin aging? But yours probably doesn’t. If you buy your sunscreen in the US, you are probably not being fully protected from the two different types of ultraviolet (UV) rays.

The TLDR version: Summary of best sunscreens in gallery below to protect you from UVA and UVB rays, as sunscreens for the US often do not protect adequately from UVA. More detail is in the story below the gallery to explain the science behind some of the chemicals in sunscreen that led to these being selected.

Summary of Sunscreen Protection Terminology

In order to ensure adequate protection for your skin as we enjoy the summer sun. You should ensure that your sunscreen bottle specifically notes that is “broad spectrum”, i.e. it protects you from UVA and UVB rays. Or that it specifically calls out the level of protection from UVA and UVB. Fun fact: Sunscreen’s SPF (sun protection factor) is based on the level of protection it provides against UVB rays only!

The SPF is calculated based on how much longer you can stay in the sun compared to if you had no sunscreen. A lot of studies indicate once you go above SPF 30 the differential amount of protection is minimal. However, you should never rely on sunscreen alone to protect your skin. Wear UV protective clothing and time your outdoor activities in summer to minimize exposure to the sun between 12 pm – 4 pm, as that is when the sun is strongest and you will incur the most skin damage.

If you are in the US, most brands do not indicate the level of UVA protection. so you really have to look for “broad spectrum” and hope it provides adequate UVA protection.

In Europe and Asia, you will find sunscreens carry either a PA+ or PPD rating. PPD is persistent pigment darkening and is calculated in the same way SPF is. So a PPD of 10 means you can stay out in the sun for 10 times longer for your skin to tan compared to if it was unprotected. PA stands for protection grade of UVA. The PA rating is pretty simple. It ranges from PA + to PA +++. A PA + sunscreen will have a PPD of 2 or less. PA +++ indicates a PPD of 16 or greater. Because of the way PA is set up, two sunscreens with a PPD of 20 and a PPD of 50 would both be rated as PA+++, and there’s no way to tell which one offers the higher protection.

In Europe regulations require that sunscreens provide the consumer with a minimum level of UVA protection in relation to the SPF. The “UVA PPD” needs to be at least 1/3 of the SPF to carry the UVA seal. So you always guaranteed a level of UVA protection with a European sunscreen.

What is chemical block vs physical block and why should I care?

Your sunscreen either contains a chemical block or physical block. The physical blocks most often used are Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. Older formulations typically had a white cast to them. However, newer formulations have less of sheen. The draw back of titanium blocks, is that while they are highly effective at blocking UVB, they are not as good at blocking UVA radiation. Zinc is equally good at blocking UVA and UVB.

Some newly developed chemical filters, such as Mexoryl SX, have been proven safe and offer excellent UVA and UVB protection. However, it is still pending approval by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration – regulates all US drugs), though it has been shown to be safe and effective and is in many European sunscreens already. If I had my choice of UV filter, I would choose one with the Mexoryl SX. As a rule of thumb, chemical sunscreens don’t tend to offer as good UVA protection. In fact, only 2 FDA approved chemical blocks protect against UVA. So unless you have a handy list of chemicals to compare your sunscreen ingredients list to, it might be easier to seek out a sunscreen with a physical block.

I heard some chemicals in sunscreen are toxic! Is that true?

Some lab studies have shown that some of the chemical UV filters (such as oxybenzone) can mimic or interact with human hormones, and doctors have reported sunscreen related skin allergies. Though the evidence is not yet conclusive about sunscreen’s hormone-like effect and the impact of that, it does raise questions about the cost-benefit of applying vs. not applying. My personal opinion*, is that we don’t know the effects of the chemical filters yet, but we already know that without sunscreen, we can and will get skin cancer if we expose our skin to the sun. Tanning is a sign of skin damage and much as I love tan, I love being cancer and wrinkle free even more. However, if you can avoid oxybenzone at least – do – as there are other chemical filters out there that are more effective that do not interact or mimic hormones and this one is known to – though it’s exact effects are still unknown. There is a helpful table summarizing the evidence and ingredients to avoid here.

So what sunscreen do you use?

I actually mostly get my sunscreens from Asia, as I find the protection to be better and aesthetically, they tend to be more matte, absorb into the skin better and don’t leave a greasy white sheen on the skin. I have listed some of my favorites in the gallery above.

How do you apply sunscreen properly?

Always ensure you apply enough sunscreen and reapply as the level of protection drops as ingredients are exposed to sunlight, we sweat/are exposed to the water etc. Remember, for your face, when sunscreen is tested in the lab they use about a 1/4 teaspoon just for the face! So unless you apply that amount you are not getting the protection you might think you are. Also, ensure you apply sunscreen after your other face care/skin care products.

If you would like more information to see whether your sunscreen offers adequate protection and the toxicity of the products visit Environmental Working Group’s Sunscreen website or if the sunscreen is not on the EWG website, you can also check individual ingredients on the INCI website which I personally love a lot.

I am not a dermatologist. If you have additional questions about sunscreen. Please consult your doctor or dermatologist. I am summarizing the information that I found and use to inform my own purchasing decisions. All the above are my opinions. If you choose to use one of the sunscreens I have selected, you do so at your own risk. I am not affiliated with any of the manufacturers of the sunscreens above. I have not been paid for this post.