Don’t be Fooled by High SPF Sunscreens

Think your expensive sunscreen will protect your skin? Unlikely. That’s the latest advice from Environmental Working Group, a green health nonprofit that recently released its latest Sunscreen Guide.

Store shelves crowded with high SPF sunscreen ratings are mostly bunk, according to EWG. Many sunscreens that list high SPF protection don’t protect against UVA radiation. Many people, however, look just at the SPF number and assume they’re good to go out but still get burned. People also put on only about a quarter of the sunscreen necessary to get full SPF benefits, leading to more burned skin.

“In everyday practice, a product labeled SPF 100 really performs like an SPF 30 rating. What does this mean? That you really cannot get better protection than an SPF 30 and you must reapply every hour or two depending on your outdoor activity. In the meantime, opt for one of the 39 greener and safer sunscreens recommended by EWG and rate your current brand of sunscreen by clicking here: http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/

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