They’re here again, the lazy days of summer.  You know, days of having picnics in the park, vacation get-aways, and lounging on a beach.  Thus, it’s my sincere hope, you enjoy every day of this summer without burning.  And no, I’m not talking about the chicken on the grill.  I’m referring to your skin, as in sunburn.

The good folks at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have decided to get tough with manufacturers of sunscreen products.  It appears that some of these products have labels so confusing, that consumers have been making poor decisions about the protection they’re actually getting from sunlight.  What exactly does “broad-spectrum” protection mean?  Doesn’t a product with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 50, provide better sunburn protection?

According to the FDA, current labeling requirements for sunscreen products aren’t providing you the best information.  So, by early 2012, sunscreen manufacturers will be required to make changes regarding what claims they can and can’t make on their product labels.  Here are some examples of the changes affecting manufacturers:

• labels cannot make claims of “instant protection”, without FDA approval;
• labels will have to indicate a time frame, say “40 minutes”, of how long the product provides effective protection;
• labels cannot use language such as “sweat proof” or “waterproof”; and,
• no statements to the effect of providing sun protection for more than 2 hours.`

These changes are due to research indicating that currently, sunscreens provide some protection against ultraviolet B (UVB) sunlight, but not enough against ultraviolet A (UVA) sunlight.  The UVA rays have been linked to early aging in skin appearance and skin cancer.

The big deal with sunscreens, is that the most common cancer in the U.S. is skin cancer.  Recent statistics show:

• between 1 to 2 million skin cancer cases occur in the U.S. every year; and
• 1 in 5 Americans develop skin cancer during their lifetimes, a rate greater than prostate or breast cancer.

You’ll find a great article regarding the label changes at Rodale.com.  Also, the Environmental Working Group has an excellent 2011 Sunscreen Guide on its site.  Another resource for you, is Consumer Reports’ best sunscreen tests of 22 products.

The Bottom Line:  If you don’t take caution with sunlight exposure, you could suffer a bad consequence later in life. Read the information in the links I’ve provided, so you can make a better decision regarding sunscreen protection.

Don’t get burned this summer!

It’s your life, live well.