Sunbathers are left in the dark with labeling delay
By Rita Watson / Providence Journal, Thrive section, June4, 2012
The sunscreen news is sizzling hot. With the announcement from the Food and Drug Administration that the group is delaying label clarifications with regard to effectiveness, sunbathers are left with three options — looking warily at conventional brands, following the safety advice of the Environmental Working Group, or hoping that red wine will soon become a natural protector from the sun as suggested by University of Barcelona researchers.
Clearly the most fun option will be red wine — but at the moment neither sipped nor splashed on is recommended. The secret is in the grapes’ flavonoids, which appear to prevent a reaction leading to skin damage. Scientists are hoping that early in vitro results will translate into creams that protect against the sun. The study was published last year in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
The best options are the recommendations from the EWG cited by members of Congress in its May letter to the FDA decrying the fact that labeling has been delayed.
The independent EWG, which works to protect children from toxic chemicals, issued its annual ranking of sunscreens last year. This year it reported that of more than 1,800 sunscreens on the market today, only about 25 percent effectively protect against the sun’s rays.
Although the list included Badger Sunscreen for Face and Body, SFP 30; California Baby Sunblock Stick, SPF 30+; Loving Naturals Sunscreen, SPF 30+; Purple Prairie Botanicals SunStuff, SPF 30; and Soleo Organics All Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+, there is one drawback — these need to be slathered on. All top-rated products “contain either zinc or titanium minerals to filter UVA rays.”
The EWG says that the “best sunscreen is a hat and a shirt. No chemicals for the skin to absorb, no questions about whether the product works, no bogus claims like ‘sun block.’ ” The comprehensive guide is at www.ewg.org.
With the FDA’s six-month delay in labeling coming at the height of sunbathing season, consumers of popular brands are left in the dark. The government site says that “to avert a shortage of sunscreen in the upcoming months, FDA has extended the compliance dates for testing and labeling until Dec. 17, 2012 for most over-the-counter sunscreen products.”
Critics are saying that the FDA has bowed to industry pressure.
Even in the absence of FDA guidelines, it is important to determine which ingredients in sunscreens may be carcinogenic, as Vitamin A and its derivatives are popular sunscreen ingredients that reportedly accelerate malignant cell development.
However, sunshine lovers do have choices. Will you slather up, drink up those sangrias hoping for safety, or be swayed by the sunscreen with the most effective advertising campaign?
Copyright 2012 Rita Watson/ All Rights Reserved
Rita Watson, MPH, (www.ritawatson.com) is a regular contributor to The Journal and a relationship columnist for our “All About You” section.