subject: Know The Fda Sunblock Regulations [print this page] Everyone loves a good tan, but no one likes a sunburn. That's why you need to always remember your suntan lotion.
The sun provides vitamin D, which allows our bodies to calcium. Sunshine also lightens our moods and can even help clear up skin blemishes. But too much time in the sun, or using the wrong kind of suntan lotion, can mean some pretty negative consequences.
Did you know that your skin is the largest organ of your body? Yeah, it's actually an organ! Keep it safe with the right kind of suntan lotion. There are some brands who claim to be "waterproof" or to give you "instant protection", but those are misleading. The FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration) has made new rules to prevent misleading suntan lotion labels. Starting in 2012, suntan lotions will be required to be more exact in their claims.
For example, many suntan lotions say they protect against skin cancer or wrinkling, but the FDA will soon test any lotions making this claim to see if they really do protect against UV rays. "Waterproof" will also be officially changed to "water resistant" and companies will have to specify how long their lotion will be water resistant before re-application is needed. For those companies who are already being honest in their labeling, these new rules won't make any difference. But for those companies who are purposefully being vague or claiming too much in order to make sales, these new regulations will put a cap on their behavior and serve to protect customers from buying ineffective products.
With 20 percent of Americans dealing with skin cancer - either basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or melanoma - we need all the legitimate help we can get in protecting our skin. Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are usually fairly easy to cure, but melanoma is more dangerous and causes nearly 79 percent of skin cancer deaths.
Thankfully, technology and science has made vast improvements in the production and efficacy of suntan lotions over the past few years. Unfortunately, many companies have not incorporated these changes and improvements, but advertise as it their products are just as effective as the companies who have. This will all change by this time next year.
In addition to using properly labeled suntan lotion, you can also protect your skin by:1. Staying out of the sun during peak times (between 10am and 4pm)2. Not using tanning booths or salons3. Stay covered when you can, wear a hot, and use sunglasses4. Search your skin completely every month for trouble spotsby: Matthew Smith
