SOLAR ATTACK
IT used to be so simple. When we needed a sunscreen, we picked either the brown bottle, or the other brown bottle. As long as it said SPF 15 or more, we knew we’d be safe.
Or so we thought.
As we learn more about how the sun affects the skin, sun care experts are hoping to teach us that not all rays are alike and neither are sunscreens. Some ultraviolet rays (UVBs) coming from the sun cause burning.
Others, UVAs, are known as “aging rays” because they penetrate deeply to cause wrinkles, age spots, skin cancer and other kinds of damage that can show up years later. UVAs also can pass through glass, plastic, clouds and some clothing.
This summer, a handful of companies have released new formulas that block UVA rays longer and more completely.
“Sunscreens today are giving better protection than the previous products,” said Dr. Leslie Baumann, a professor of dermatology at the University of Miami. “And UVA protection is better than ever, but you have to know what brands to buy.”
Which, Baumann will admit, sounds easier than it is. If you read the labels and know the ingredients, you still may not know what you’re getting. Though the Food and Drug Administration classifies sunscreens as over-the-counter drugs and requires lengthy and expensive tests on their efficacy, the agency hasn’t settled on a standard for testing, making claims or labeling UVA protection. The terms “broad spectrum” and “waterproof” and even SPF ratings don’t always mean the same thing for different products.
Now that UVA protection has emerged as the new battleground, consumers will most likely find themselves caught in skirmishes between different companies, each touting the best UVA sunscreens.
“Every company has their own way that they test UVA, so every company is lobbying to have their testing method accepted so that they don’t have to repeat their trials,” Baumann said.
However, experts generally agree that one UVA-absorbing ingredient called avobenzone has been dramatically improved. Secondly, a version of an ingredient long used in Europe, ecamsule (known under the trade name Mexoryl SX for the water-soluble formula and patented by L’Oreal) recently won FDA approval as another effective option to help block more UVAs.
Avobenzone, also known as Parsol 1789, was one of the first UVA-blocking chemicals allowed in the United States. However, it loses effectiveness as it absorbs sunlight, sometimes vanishing in 30 to 60 minutes, Baumann said.
Now a handful of companies have stabilized avobenzone with patented or closely guarded formulas. Neutrogena calls its formula Helioplex, whereas Johnson & Johnson’s Aveeno products contain the Active Photobarrier Complex formula. Skin Effects by Dr. Jeffrey Dover calls its formula Dermaplex Technology, and a new product called Luca also contains the stabilized ingredient and aims to give consumers a standard of UVA comparison by listing on the label the critical wavelength of radiation that it blocks: 383 nanometers.
Having emerged last summer from the FDA’s lengthy review process, L’Oreal is busy promoting its UVA-absorbing formulas that contain Mexoryl SX. (The FDA hasn’t approved a new sunscreen filter like this since 1988.) Two L’Oreal products for sale in the U.S. contain Mexoryl SX: Lancome’s UV Expert 20 Sunscreen (SPF 20), and La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios SX (SPF 15).
Mexoryl SX filters out a specific portion of UVA light that other sunscreens reportedly don’t handle as well. Heeding the mantra of the medical community, L’Oreal is offering Mexoryl SX in products designed to be worn every day, not just in strong sun. That’s appropriate, Baumann said, because the products’ low SPF ratings make them inadequate for intense beach sun.
Doctors warn that a lifetime of incidental exposure can be as damaging as several bad teenage sunburns, which makes sunscreen important beyond summertime. However, to know exactly how much sunscreen and what type of sunscreen you should apply on your skin and when, requires knowing something about the difference between physical and chemical blockers, as well as understanding the wavelengths of radiation that cause burning and the speed at which your skin will burn given a day’s atmospheric conditions and even the altitude.
Or you could just get serious about finding a sunscreen that you’ll actually wear -- and wear correctly -- every day. Some pointers:
* Use at least an SPF of 15 to shield from incidental daily sun exposure. The Skin Cancer Foundation warns that no sunscreen keeps out 100% of UVBs (SPF 30 filters out 97%, and SPF 50 just 1% more).
* For UVA protection, look for the words “broad-spectrum protection,” “multispectrum protection” or “UVA/UVB protection.” Chemical ingredients that block UVA are: avobenzone, oxybenzone and Mexoryl. Physical barriers (which may be less irritating to children and those with sensitive skin) are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
* Apply at least one ounce -- about a shot glass full -- of sunscreen on the exposed skin of an entire adult body.
* Reapply every hour, Baumann said. Studies show that most users apply sunscreen so sparingly that the protection they get is about one-third of the label’s listed SPF -- which is partly why sunscreens with stronger, more effective ingredients are important.
* Give any product 20 minutes to dry before you head outside. Look for products that are water resistant or waterproof if you’re going to be in water or perspiring. Avoid prolonged exposure, cover up with hats, clothes and umbrellas, and -- as Baz Luhrmann (or was it Kurt Vonnegut?) once said -- wear sunscreen.
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FOR SUN DAYS
THIS season’s arsenal against the sun is more diverse than ever. But how well does something like sunscreen in a soap actually work? As an officially sun-phobic beauty writer, I tested three new items, and then asked the expert opinion of Andrew J. Kaufman, assistant clinical professor in dermatology at UCLA, who serves on the medical council of the Skin Cancer Foundation. Though the products are too new for doctors to have widespread experience, all are approved as effective sunscreens by the Skin Cancer Foundation or the American Cancer Society.
-- Valli Herman
Freeze 24-7 Ice Shield Facial Cleanser with Sunscreen SPF 15
The claim: Adding sunscreen to a cleanser that you wash away is a bit of trick. Freeze cleanser, however, says it is the first to use new Wash-On technology, a process that gives sunscreen a positive charge so that it sticks to our negatively charged hair and skin, even after rinsing.
The doctor says: A facial cleanser is “a nice option because it’s convenient and gives some protection, but not as much as I would recommend. It does contain avobenzone, which screens out UVB and UVA, but the downside is that the SPF (15) is a little low.”
The pale chick says: Despite the inconvenient wait (up to 2 minutes for suds to dry), Freeze 24-7 left skin feeling clean, not tight or greasy. It applied easily to hard-to-reach spots such as the neck, ears and other areas where you don’t want gooey lotions. Best used in the shower.
Available: Order at (877) 373-3934 or www.freeze247.com; the 4.2-ounce tube is $48.
Desert Essence Wipes, SPF 30 Sunscreen Towelettes
The claim: New emulsion technology allows an alcohol-based formula to deliver sunscreen in a disposable, biodegradable towelette.
The doctor says: “Towelettes are good because they are convenient, [but] may not give an adequate amount of sunscreen, and you may not be able to apply it as evenly. But they may be easier to reapply on your 7-year-old kid than a lotion.”
The pale chick says: Because of the moisturizing formula, the product went on easily, invisibly, and without that greasy, sticky residue. Despite claims that one towelette covers the entire body, we used several. (Fans at a recent Dodgers game were impressed with the ease and convenience. Even a squirmy little kid didn’t complain. After two hours in the afternoon sun and two applications, we were burn-free.)
Available: Sold at Whole Foods and other natural food stores, and at www.drugstore.com. The 25-towelette package is about $13.
SunGuard Laundry Aid
The claim: Add a packet of SunGuard powder to a laundry load and warm-water washable fabrics absorb a UV filter that can block 96% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. One treatment can last up to 20 washings and boosts the protection of a T-shirt from a typical SPF 5 to about SPF 30. Fabrics can be bleached in subsequent launderings.
The doctor says: “There are companies that make clothing with a tight weave that can help block rays. But SunGuard is an affordable option for people who aren’t going to wear specialty items. Also, people think they can’t get a burn or sun damage if they wear clothing, but you can.”
The pale chick says: Cheap, easy to use and a great way to add protection to ordinary clothes. The treatment didn’t change the look or feel of several varieties of cotton fabrics we tested, though the recommended 15-minute hot-water washing was tough on a few knits.
Available: Order at (866) 871-3157 or www.sunguardsunprotection.com Boxes are $1.99 plus shipping.
