While many use sunscreens to help prevent photo damage, they are also worn for safety in helping to prevent sunburn and reduce the incidence of some types of skin cancer. Many of us trust sunscreen manufacturers to help guide us in choosing the products that are right for our needs.
That’s probably why in March 2008 that a class action lawsuit was filed against the makers of five sunscreens marketed as sun blocks—Banana Boat, Bullfrog, Coppertone, Hawaiian Tropic and Neutrogena. The suit alleged that certain statements made by these companies create a sense of artificial security that endangers users. “False claims such as ‘sun block,’ ‘waterproof’ and ‘all-day protection’ should be removed from these products immediately,” stated Samuel Rudman, a New York-based partner with one of the filing firms, Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP, in a published statement.
Here then, are the top 3 myths regarding sunscreens:
- Sunscreens are the same as sunblocks. FALSE. In truth, sunscreens lessen the amount of exposure the skin has to ultraviolet (UV) rays, but it is impossible for them to block them altogether. There is no such thing as a sunblock.
- Waterproof sunscreens do not wash off when swimming or perspiring. FALSE. No sunscreen is absolutely waterproof. If it remains active after 40 minutes of exposure to water, it can be described as “water-resistant”; 80 minutes of activity entitles it to be labeled as “very water-resistant”. That’s why, regardless of how much time a person spends in the water, every sunscreen must be reapplied.
- You can apply sunscreen once in the morning and then forget about it. FALSE. All sunscreens must be reapplied frequently, especially if you’re exposed to water or sweat. Many sun filters break down when exposed to the sun. As a rule of thumb, strive to reapply every 2 hours as most sunscreens are labeled.
Although many consumers don’t know this, the claims above are not allowed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) when they describe sunscreens because no product can deliver on these types of promises.
View our full range of Anthelios sunscreens and water resistant sunscreens at PhaMix.
