Posted on 06/26/2012 4:25:28 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
With the hope of protecting consumers from skin damage, the FDA is making major changes to the way sunscreens are labeled. The FDA is hoping to help consumers with new sunscreen regulations that go into effect this month.
“It’s supposed to make sunscreen buying an easier and more straight forward experience,” said Dr. Noelle Sherber.
Sherber says the regulations do away with what many considered to be confusing and even misleading labels.
“One of the most misleading terms is water proof because none of these products are truly, truly water proof,” Sherber said.
In addition to getting rid of waterproof, the FDA is requiring sunscreens with an SPF lower than 15 to be labeled with a warning that they do not prevent skin cancer or early aging.
Suncreens will also no longer carry a SPF label higher than 50.
“Because really you’re blocking almost all rays anyway,” Sherber said. “So the difference between 50, 85 and 100 was minimal.”
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimore.cbslocal.com ...
I have a better idea: defund the FDA.
Hey FDA what if I just hide under my bed?
I am fair skinned and have basal cell carcinoma from years of sunburns as a kid.
Because it aggravates my sensitive face skin and allergic reactions I have recently thrown out all of my sunscreen containing the usual chemistry set ingredients and use only products containing zinc oxide or zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
I also wear a broad brimmed hat when outdoors and try to limit my sun exposure.
What’s the Best Sunscreen?
Sunscreen for skin problems or allergies. People who have sensitive skin or skin conditions like rosacea may also benefit from using sunscreens designed for children. Go for titanium dioxide or zinc oxide instead of chemicals like para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), dioxybenzone, oxybenzone, or sulisobenzone. If you have skin irritation or allergies, avoid sunscreens with alcohol, fragrances, or preservatives.
Other sunscreens include moisturizers or other ingredients for people with dry or oily skin. As long as they meet the UVA and UVB requirements above, you can give them a try and see what works best.
http://www.webmd.com/healthy-beauty/features/whats-best-sunscreen
I am really confused, why are the labels confusing?
*water proof up to 60 minutes - that implies 0-60 minutes
*SPF whatever the number is, means the number of minutes before you burn IE if you burn in one minute SPF 15 would mean 15 minutes, SPF 50 would mean 50 minutes or if you are like me SPF 15 would 750 minutes or like my husband SPF 862 would mean about 1.5 minutes.
Really, it says all that on the label. I am just not getting why this is so difficult for people.
So, either I am devoid of reason, information or delusional about personal responsibility.
The way I feel today probably all of that and more. (((sigh)))
One of my brotherIL is a red head, with alabaster skin, he works out side a lot. He wears long sleeved white linen shirts with no cuffs and light weight pants, he wears that after putting on sun screen.
I feel for him and you, I have been burned once in my life (it was foggy and about 80 degrees no one at the beach felt the heat and every one got burned. Not pleasant)
I will let him know about your link and info. I can’t recall him being sun burned but he is very careful.
defund the FDA
Bingo!
Everything that comes out of FDA is automatically suspect.
FDA’s real customers became the drug companies instead of the consumers decades ago.
http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2011/08/janet-woodcock-miss-piñata-meets-clue-stick.html
check out what it costs for a manufacturer to buy FDA approval of their product.
http://www.fda.gov/ForIndustry/UserFees/PrescriptionDrugUserFee/ucm152775.htm
FDA gets $ from Congress and sells us out for what they get on top of that from the people who really own them
I’m doing some checking on this.
Still checking...
Nope, don’t find ANYWHERE in the Constitution that authorizes the gubmint to be in the sunscreen business.
Defund the whole damn thing, IMO.
Back before the year 2000, I was living in New Zealand and sunscreen was a really big deal because of the ozone hole in the area. There were special swimsuits for children designed to protect them and a lot of government issued warnings. Then, an Australian University study was released that said the chemicals in sunscreen were absorbed through the skin, were toxic, and unseen damaged was still being done to the skin in absence of a sunburn. Sunscreen products were a huge industry. The study was immediately deep sixed, and I deep sixed the sunscreen. A sunburn is your body’s natural way of telling you not to stay in the sun so long. It should only take a couple sun burns to get the hint. I swim daily in the Summer, but do so only after about 2 pm when there is enough shade over the pool. I haven’t been sunburned in over a decade, if not longer.
Defund the whole damn thing, IMO.”
I am sure our Republican controlled Congress will get right on that.
RIGHT! Thalidomide for morning sickness like the European women were able to get.
Elixir of Sulfanilamide - get that good tasting antibiotic syrup back on the market for children.
And let's not forget that Bayer came up with a great cough medicine in the 1890s. Marketed it under the brand name Heroin.
Do you happen to be a malpractice lawyer like John Edwards?
I’m the sunscreen queen here.
My youngest had the allergic reaction to a Coppertone for Kids sunscreen that had only the zinc oxide - a rash everywhere but under the swimsuit - and yet she’s just fine with the “chemistry set” ingredients.
Interesting.
I had personal experience with this -
I have not used sunscreens - a toxic soup of chemicals that react with the sun - for 30 years - and have no more problems...
I get the major part of my sun during the Vit D/UVB ray hours - which, in my area right now is about 9:00 to 2:00.
(To find in your area - use the US NAval chart - the time changes a few minutes each day - just put in your state and then track the time between the start of 50 degrees to the end of 50 degrees...
After that, the sun is too low - under 50degrees on the horizon - for UVB - the good rays - and only the UBA - the harmful rays, are available.
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/AltAz.php
I do use tanning oils - which I make myself - with no harmful chemicals..
It behooves us all to take advantage of this vast well of information at our fingertips and do ‘due diligence research’.
In my area, the UVB rays are gone - sun below 50 degrees on the horizon - from Sept to April...time to take Vit D3 ;o) -
Research - “sunscreen cancer causing”
Good article.
Thanks
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