Sunscreen Under the Microscope
by Mike KrumboltzJul 8, 2008
Anybody who's ever had a mom knows what it's like to wear gobs and gobs of sunscreen: Sticky but (we're told) necessary. However, a new study reveals that many sunscreens fail to work as advertised. Was Mom wrong all along?
An article from LiveScience breaks it down. According to the Enviormental Working Group (EWG), 80% of the roughly one thousand sunscreens analyzed provide "inadequate protection from the sun or contain harmful chemicals." Uh, oh. Furthermore, the biggest names in sunscreen (Coppertone, Banana Boat, and Neutrogena) are allegedly the biggest offenders.
Of course, not everyone agrees with the findings. LiveScience explains that some dermatologists find the report full of hyperbole. Still the article acknowledges that there are some core truths that everyone (not just worried moms) should be aware of. Fortunately, people are paying attention. Not only is the LiveScience article a hit in Buzz, we've also noticed surges in lookups for "sunblock spf definition," "uva vs uvb rays" and "highest spf available."
That last query is easy enough to answer. As the buzzing exposé notes, if you want true sun protection with a "SPF of 1 zillion," just wear clothing. It's simple, effective, and mom would definitely approve.