Jul 1, 2008 6:00 pm US/Eastern
Health: Sunscreen Safety
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
Most sunscreens do not work, not even the ones that contain a high SPF number like 45, according to a new reports.
Lathering up the sunscreen. It's become a ritual for millions who use it to prevent burns that can cause skin cancer and premature aging.
But 85 percent of sunscreens don't provide protection against UV rays, or have ingredients that either are known health hazards or have not been tested for safety, according to an investigation of nearly 1,000 products by the Environmental Working Group.
"People may not be getting the sun protection that they think they are," said Dr. Mark Abdelmalek, a Dermatologist with Drexel University College of Medicine.
He says you should look for sunscreen that contains UVA and UVB protection, and also titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.
"Sunscreen is very important especially this time of year," said Dr. Abdelmalek.
The Environmental Working Group study says many popular sunscreens chemically break down when exposed to sunlight. It says Coppertone, the top selling sunscreen, had no products that were safe or effective.
Their report also lists sunscreens it says are most effective.
Top of that list includes Blue Lizard and California Baby.
"The message is you should be aware of what you're putting on your body. You should be aware that even though there may be ingredients in sunscreen that haven't been rigorously tested the overall importance of sunscreen probably at this point still outweighs that," said Dr. Abdelmalek.
We received a statement from the maker of Coppertone it says in part, "… their products are tested for safety and effectiveness."
RELATED LINKS:
Sunscreen Consumer Guide
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