Burning Issues : New Health Scares Cause Confusion and Controversy Over Sunscreens

ALTHOUGH SKIN-CARE and medical experts continue to urge the public to wear products with a sun-protection factor (SPF) of at least 15, choosing the right protection is becoming increasingly difficult and, in some ways, downright frightening.

Last month, news agencies reported that some sunscreen products containing Padimate O were contaminated with the nitrosamine N-methyl-N-nitroso-p-aminobenzoic acid octyl ester (known as NPABAO). Other nitrosamines have been found in cigarette smoke, automotive exhaust and even in some foods. Some nitrosamines have been shown to cause cancer in lab animals. The news caused concern among those who wear sun protection daily.

So far, however, according to John Wenninger of the Food and Drug Administration, there is no conclusive evidence that the nitrosamine found in sunscreens containing Padimate O is a carcinogen. Wenninger, an FDA official who was involved in the research that spawned the reports, says: “There is no information to indicate that using a sunscreen represents a health hazard.

“We have not yet been able to tell if the nitrosamine in sunscreens can penetrate the skin,” he continues. The FDA has issued no new warnings about sunscreens, and no products or ingredients have been withdrawn based on the findings. More research is under way. “Certainly, consumers should not stop using sunscreens,” Wenninger says.

But consumers face yet another confusing issue. Many sunscreen users believe that products labeled SPF 15 or higher provide adequate protection. However, the SPF numbers, established by the FDA, refer only to protection against the sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, once thought to be the only harmful rays. Now, ultraviolet A (UVA) rays, the so-called tanning rays, are considered as dangerous as UVB, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. But numbers to indicate the amount of UVA protection have not yet been standardized.

Dan Beio, manager of personal-care products for Amway, explains that UVA rays penetrate deeper into the dermis, “resulting in long-term damage, such as cancer and the breakdown of the collagen and elastin fibers, which support the skin. UVB rays burn the upper layers, apparent as a sunburn. UVA damage is indicated by a tan that takes 24 to 72 hours to show up.”

Iris Model of Clinique reports that although an SPF 30 blocks about 99% of UVB rays, “we cannot guarantee that for UVA.” However, she says, ingredients such as benzophenone, octyl salicylate and Padimate O also screen a broad range of rays, including UVA.

According to industry reports, the $450-million-a-year sun-products category is one of the fastest-growing segments of the personal-care market. Yet, consumers are still not sure which products to buy. Ruth G. Sikes, a representative of the American Academy of Dermatology, urges consumers to read labels and continue wearing products with an SPF 15 or higher. “It is still the first line of defense against the ravages of the sun,” she says.