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Nathaniel Lee, provided by 
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- In the United States, sunscreens are regulated by the FDA. However, US sunscreens may not protect us as much as those you can find in other countries.
- Of the 20 best-selling sunscreens in the United States, nine did not meet European standards.
- In the video above, dermatologist Dr. Seemal Desai explains what to look for in a sunscreen that protects against ultraviolet rays causing skin cancer.
Here is a transcript of the video.
Narrator : In 2017, researchers tested 20 of the best-selling American sunscreens. The good news is that 19 of them met FDA standards. Bad news? Nine of them did not meet European standards. It turns out that different countries have different rules for what makes sunscreen safe and that American sunscreens may not protect Americans as well as possible. When we go to bed, our skin absorbs two types of ultraviolet light. UVA and UVB rays. UVB rays produce more energy and can cause sunburn, while UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin and can damage skin cells located along the lower layer of the epidermis . But UVA rays are the rays that can cause skin cancer, so you want to cover the spectrum. I think a lot of people mistakenly think that I did not get a sunburn, so I'm not predisposed to skin cancer, which is totally wrong.
Narrator: The biggest problem with the American sunscreen is what protection do you get from UVA rays causing cancer. For decades, FDA regulations required sunscreens to protect against UVB, but not necessarily against UVA. Meanwhile, rates of melanoma, a dangerous form of skin cancer, have continued to rise in the United States. Then, in 2012, the FDA updated its labeling and testing regulations so that manufacturers must now inform their customers if its sunscreen protects both UVB and UVA. This is what the broad spectrum label means on your sunscreen, for example. And while this is a good first step, there is still no regulation on the degree of protection you get from UVA. So, there is no way to find out.
Desai: Here in the United States, I think we need to be aware of the fact that when a sunscreen says that it's broad-spectrum, protecting UVA and UVB rays, means that you will get protection against these rays. However, that does not mean that it will block all the sun's rays.
Narrator: And that's where the US sunscreens are inadequate. think we are behind other countries in the world, including some of our European counterparts, in approving new ingredients for sunscreens. Overall, the composition of sunscreens in the United States and the composition of our sunscreens have not changed much in recent years.
Narrator: The FDA has approved 16 active ingredients that protect against UV rays. But only some protect against UVB and UVA rays. By way of comparison, Europe requires its more than 20 active ingredients to protect against both.
Desai: At present, the American Academy of Dermatology and other organizations are actually advocating, with the FDA, to actually speed up the approval process for new protective ingredients solar. Because it's with these ingredients that we can probably get even better coverage and protection and maybe even get something easier to apply, easier on the skin, which has no d & # 39; Adverse side effects for patients.
Narrator: You can buy sunscreens from other countries online. But if you are thinking of sticking to US sunscreens, look for the broad spectrum label and buy anything below 30 FPS.
Desai : The higher the SPF, certainly the better. But we certainly do not want anyone down below 30. And think about whether you are a person who has a history of melanoma, if you are using an SPF 30, you block, say, 98% of the harmful rays . However, what about the remaining 2%? This 2% could potentially put you at risk.
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