Tougher rules for Sunscreen Labeling (Finally!)

The FDA has recently announced stricter rules for sunscreen manufacturers on labeling their sun protection claims. There are new provisions that permit simpler sunscreen labels and require the manufacturers to test their product’s effectiveness against UVA and UVB. The UVB rays are known to cause sunburn and both UVA and UVB rays are the foundation to cause skin cancer and wrinkling.

The FDA has been considering the new rules since 1978 and will turn into laws by next summer. They have found that any products with SPF of 2-14 are not effective in reducing the chance of skin cancer or premature skin aging, therefore must include a warning explaining that it hasn’t been proven to reduce the risks of cancer or skin aging. Interestingly enough, the FDA has suggest removing any SPF labels above 50, because they haven’t found any verification that sunscreens with that high of SPFs could give anyone better protection. The administration is continuing to research on the claim until further evidence has been found.

Also, the FDA is requiring all manufacturers to remove words such as “waterproof,” and “sweat-proof” from labels, because they are misleading to the consumers. They have instructed them to use terms such as “water-resistant” and they must label how many minutes that the product could uphold sun protection.

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