A new study in JAMA Dermatology finds numerous most popular sunscreens sold on Amazon don’t provide proper protection.
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“As doctors, we want to have some input and insight into what consumers are using, because sunscreen is a really important part of skin health”, he said.
For the new study, Xi and his team reviewed the top rated 1 percent of the 6,500 sunscreens with four or more stars sold on Amazon.com, and they identified the 65 best-rated products with the goal of highlighting those that were affordable yet high performing to encourage use adherence.
Americans’ favorite sunscreens may be offering them inadequate protection- and they may also be shelling out too much for the products, a study of Amazon’s top-selling sunblock suggests.
A new study states that around 40% of the top selling sunscreens do not meet the criteria set by the American Academy of Dermatology for sunscreens.
Focusing on the issue of water-resistant products, the Personal Care Products Council, a national trade association representing the cosmetic and personal care products industry, said many sunscreens do not need that feature if users are not going to be active outdoors or enter the water.
However, the study showed that these factors do not play a major role in the consumers’ sunscreen choices.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, sunscreens should provide broad spectrum protection against ultraviolet A and B rays, be water resistant and have a sun protection factor of at least 30.
Sunscreens are particularly important for individuals with certain dermatological conditions such as transplant patients who have photosensitive skin due to the drugs they must take or individuals with certain dermatological conditions, Xu said.
“One of the things I get asked the most from patients is what sunscreen should they use”, said lead author Dr. Steve Xu, of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.
Xu said he was surprised at the 3,000 percent difference in price for products that provided basically the same protection. The cheapest sunscreen was 68 cents an ounce and the most expensive was $24 an ounce.
Of these 65 sunscreens, seven (or 11%) did not have an SPF of at least 30, five (or 8%) did not protect against both UVA and UVB rays, and 25 (or 38%) were not created to withstand water or sweat.
The researchers likewise found that cosmetic elegance, which involves the color, scent and feeling associated with the product, is the main factor that consumers consider when leaving a positive review. According to AAD guidelines, a product must be broad spectrum, have an SPF greater or equal to 30, and be water resistant.
Forty percent – 26 of the 65 top-rated sunscreens – did not meet the AAD standards.
This study was published July 6 in the journal JAMA Dermatology.
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Dr. Mary Chang, a clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, pointed out that “many people just need sun protection for walking from their auto to the office, or to wear under their makeup year-round”.
