EWG’s 6th annual guide to safe and effective sunscreens features ratings for more than 1,800 sunscreens and SPF-rated lip balms, moisturizers and makeups.
Highlights? Only 1 in 4 sunscreens earns high marks for safety and efficacy. Products with exaggerated SPF claims above 50 still crowd out better brands, and nearly one-fourth of this year’s crop of sunscreens contains vitamin A, an additive that can accelerate the growth of skin tumors and lesions.
Read EWG’s report to catch up on the science and politics behind the sunscreen industry and to learn how well this year’s products protect Americans’ skin from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays.
EWG’s 2012 Sunscreen Guide rates more than 1,800 sunscreens and SPF-rated lip balms, moisturizers and makeup. Only about 1 of every 4 sunscreens passes the test. Learn why so many brands fail and what you can do to stay safe in the sun.
Learn nine surprising facts about sunscreens, among them: Why they fall short of their claims.
Experts warn that sunscreen is not the best way to stave off skin cancer. Find out what works best.
More people use sunscreens than ever before, but skin cancer incidence continues to rise. What’s going on?
FDA’s slowness in approving new sunscreens means that European sunscreens offer up to five times more protection from damaging UVA rays.
Sunlight causes some sunscreen chemicals to break down and form free radicals that damage skin.
In 1978 the FDA launched a process to begin regulating sunscreens for safety and effectiveness. But in the years since then the agency has failed to approve modern sunscreen ingredients and has set weak standards for products claiming “broad spectrum” protection, leaving inferior sunscreens on store shelves.
Sunscreen and too little time outdoors can leave you deficient in vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin” made by the skin. What’s the right balance?
Government studies find that this common sunscreen additive speeds the growth of skin tumors and lesions.
Spending hours in the sun with a sky-high SPF sunscreen? Skin cancer risks add up even when you don’t get burned.
From hormone-disrupting compounds to lung-damaging nanoparticles, ingredients in sunscreens may protect the skin but pose other kinds of health risks.
Learn how EWG rates sunscreens for effectiveness and safety.
