There has been a lot in the news lately about the effectiveness of sunscreen after consumer advocacy group CHOICE tested a range of sunscreens to see if their SPF50+ claims were up to scratch. 16 of the 20 products tested did not have the Sun Protection Factor they claimed in their advertising and labelling.
Since then, the Therapeutic Goods Administration launched their own investigation and have found to date, 21 sunscreens that share the same base formulation have been recalled, paused or are under review. The TGA announced that it has ‘significant concerns’ about the reliability of SPF testing undertaken by Princeton Consumer Research, an overseas laboratory many sunscreen brands use to support their SPF claims and is investigating this further.
While these findings have caused understandable concern, it’s important to remember:
- No sunscreen provides 100% protection against Ultra Violet rays.
- The SPF value indicates how much longer your skin is protected from buring compared to unprotected skin
- When applied correctly and in sufficient amounts SPF30 filters around 97% of UVB rays, SPF 50 filters around 98% and even SPF 20 filters about 95% – even low SPF’s offer better protection than using no sunscreen at all.
The takeaway?
Sunscreen remains a vital part of your sun safety toolkit. Apply it generously, reapply often, and combine it with other protective measures – hats, clothing, shade and sunglasses – to reduce your risk of sun damage and melanoma.
You can read more about the findings and view a list of recalled sunscreens in the ABC article Is my sunscreen safe or should I start shopping for an alternative? – ABC News
