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The sunscreens will soon receive new labeling, and some will be removed from the market, according to a rule project announced by the FDA today. The changes will also mean that it will be easier to find sunscreens that protect against UVA rays (those that cause damage, but not sunburn).
The safety of certain ingredients is in question
Most sunscreen ingredients look like products without SPF, like lotions. What makes it a sunscreen are specific ingredients that reflect or absorb ultraviolet light. Currently, 16 ingredients are approved for this purpose and currently on the market. The FDA announced today that:
- Only two ingredients (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) are "generally recognized as safe and effective". These are physical sunscreens that reflect the ultraviolet rays of your skin.
- Two ingredients, PABA and trolamine salicylate, should be do not be considered generally recognized as safe and effective, and will not be allowed in sunscreens in the future.
- For the other 12 ingredients, the FDA did not feel it had enough evidence to make a decision in one way or another. They are asking manufacturers to do more testing and submit their data.
Part of the reason we have re-examined the ingredients is that the first sunscreen regulations assumed that people would only use small amounts of low SPF sunscreen and that only a small amount of sunscreen was available. ingredients were absorbed through the skin. We now know that more is absorbed, and it is worthwhile to do additional tests to see if these levels are still safe.
Sunscreens should better block UVA
The harmful rays for the skin of the sun are of two types: UVB rays cause redness called sunburn, while UVA rays cause thickening and wrinkling of the skin over time. (There are also other rays, but these are the main ones that have been studied.) You can be exposed to UVA even through the windows and even at times of the day or the year when you do not do not risk taking a sunburn. . Both types can contribute to skin cancer.
The SPF label on sunscreen only tells you how much the product protects against UVB. To find out if it's protected from UVA, look for the words "Broad Spectrum". There is currently no way to determine the strength of UVA protection (on American packaging, anyway). Your high SPF sunscreen could have very little UVA protection, and you would stay in the sun without ever knowing.
In the future, the FDA wants all SPF 15 sunscreens to be broad-spectrum. They have to protect themselves against more UVA rays than today, and the degree of protection against UVA must match the total protection against UV rays. In real terms, this means that you can rely on SPF 50 sunscreen to provide more UVA rays. and UVB protection that a SPF 15.
Formulations may change before the official entry into force of the rule
"Today's announcement will lead to a radical change in the formulation of sunscreens," Environment Canada Senior Scientist David Andrews said today in a press call. (We have our problems with the electronic working group, but they are watching the sector closely.) Companies will not want to be caught off guard when the rules come into force, which could take several months, in a few years, they probably think well. now on how they can reformulate their products.
Other proposed changes include:
- There may be no more anti-mosquito / anti-insect sunscreen products in combination (pesticides and personal care products have labeling requirements that are too different and have not been sufficiently tested together).
- Products such as sunscreen powders, wipes and shampoos may not be allowed at all unless their manufacturers perform additional tests.
- Sunscreens with less than 15 FPS may not be on the market at all. (It's not decided, but the FDA paper basically asks, what's the point?)
- High numbers of FPS may not be allowed, with a suggested ceiling of "60 years and over" and a strict limit of 80%. Research has shown that higher SPFs may actually work better, but the question of whether the numbering system is sufficiently reliable is a significant difference for consumers.
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