When choosing a sunscreen for summer activities, it鈥檚 important to remember that a higher SPF doesn鈥檛 translate to better protection from the sun鈥檚 harmful rays.
Nneka Leiba, director of healthy living science at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), said the SPF value only gives an indication of how the product performs against UVB rays 鈥� the ultraviolet rays that produce sunburn.
鈥淏ut when we鈥檙e thinking about sun protection, we need to be protecting ourselves from both UVA and UVB rays, because both of them are associated with skin cancer and skin damage,鈥� Leiba said.
For best results, she recommends using a sunscreen with an SPF between 30 and 50, where protection against both UVA and UVB rays tends to be .
鈥淎nd often with the high SPF products, it鈥檚 hard to maintain a good balance,鈥� Leiba said.
Researchers have also found that higher SPF products lead to misuse among consumers. Users tend to stay in the sun longer and reapply sunscreen less often, leading to prolonged sun exposure and an increased risk for skin damage.
Selecting a sunscreen with a mid-level SPF is just one recommendation in EWG鈥檚 13th annual . Here are a few other takeaways from this year鈥檚 report:
- Sunscreens with mineral-active ingredients, including zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, are your 鈥渂est bets鈥� for both safety and efficacy, Leiba said. Non-mineral sunscreens use chemicals to block UV rays, and EWG has found links between some of these chemicals, such as oxybenzone, and .
- Vitamin A is great in a night cream, but researchers at EWG recommend avoiding it in sunscreen. When used on sun-exposed skin, Vitamin A may speed the development of .
- Adults can use children鈥檚 sunscreen: Sunscreens made for kids and babies often have less fragrance and fewer allergenic ingredients, and Leiba said they鈥檙e perfectly safe and effective on adults too.
- Sunscreen is just one tool to help protect the skin from sun damage. Leiba said hats, clothing and avoiding mid-day sun are also important. 鈥淪kin cancers are on the rise, so it鈥檚 really important to take a holistic look at our relationship with the sun,鈥� she said.
