Dermatologists can be vocal in the media regarding their views on indoor tanning; however, they’re not often asked to elaborate on their feelings about sunscreen. As the U.S. waits on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to release updated information regarding sunscreen – and its potentially harmful ingredients – the American public finds itself with more questions. The FDA’s initial guidelines were released more than 30 years ago, and the industry and our knowledge of ingredients have expanded exponentially ever since.
A blog in the New York Times set out to bring together physicians, researchers and consumer-protection agencies to bring clarity to the sunscreen scenario.
Consumer Reports is an age-old public safety advocate. Michael K. Hansen is a senior researcher of health-related topics with its publisher, Consumers Union. Hansen believes one of the largest FDA issues involves proper education about and labeling of sunscreens. He suggests clarifying the differences between UVA and UVB exposure, and including more helpful information regarding a product’s effectiveness in each area on its labeling. Additionally, he thinks the FDA should publicize warnings about the sun’s potential to harm skin, as well as researching, monitoring and sharing data on potentially harmful sunscreen ingredients. He names zinc oxide, oxybenzone and titanium dioxide as ingredients to re-evaluate.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG), which releases an annual sunscreen guide, has been one of the most vocal consumer-protection agencies regarding the need to improve sunscreens and the study and messaging of them. EWG Senior Analyst Sonya Lunder studies health issues and contributed to this year’s edition of EWG’s Sunscreen Guide. One of her chief concerns is the potentially harmful role of vitamin A derivatives in sunscreen. She cites FDA research indicating such a correlation. If vitamin A poses such a health risk, who’s to say how many other popular sun-protection ingredients may be of equal or greater concern? And why are other countries so far ahead of the U.S. in informing and protecting their citizens regarding these potentially hazardous formulations?
Darrell S. Rigel, clinical professor of dermatology at New York University Langone Medical Center and a former president of the American Academy of Dermatology, tests the effectiveness of sunscreen for its manufacturers. His chief concerns with the FDA include the need to: update the sunscreen guidelines, approve more sunscreen ingredients (which are already legal in many other countries), and clarify/standardize the messaging on sun protection products.
To read the full text of the discussion, including additional commentary from two other professionals, click the source link below.
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Source:
The New York Times: What We Still Don’t Know About Sunscreens
