Sunscreens Exposed
EWG’s 5th annual guide to safe and effective sunscreens features ratings for more than 1,700 sunscreens and SPF lip balms, moisturizers and makeups.
Highlights? Only one in five sunscreens earns high marks for safety and efficacy. Products with exaggerated SPF claims above 50 still crowd out better brands, and nearly one-third of this year’s crop of sunscreens contains vitamin A, an additive that can accelerate the growth of skin tumors and lesions.
Read EWG’s report below to catch up on the science and politics behind the sunscreen industry and to learn how well this year’s products protect Americans’ skin from the sun’s damaging UV rays.
Click here for EWG’s latest science update on vitamin A.
EWG’s 2011 sunscreen guide rates more than 1,700 sunscreens, lip balms, and SPF moisturizers and makeup. Only about 1 of every 5 sunscreens passes the test. Learn why so many brands fail and what you can do to stay safe in the sun.
9 surprising facts about sunscreen, including why it falls short of the claims.
Experts warn that sunscreen is not the best way to stave off skin cancer. Find out what works best.
More people use sunscreen than ever before, but skin cancer incidence continues to rise. What’s going on?
FDA’s delay in approving new sunscreens means that European sunscreens offer up to 5 times more protection from damaging UVA rays.
Sunlight causes some sunscreen chemicals to release free radicals that damage skin.
In 1978 FDA launched a drive to regulate sunscreens for safety and effectiveness. Nearly 33 years later, the agency is still working on the rules, leaving consumers to ponder products that don’t work as well as they should.
Sunscreen and too little time outdoors can leave you deficient in vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin” made by the skin. What’s the right balance?
Government studies find that this common sunscreen additive speeds the growth of skin tumors and lesions.
Spending hours in the sun with a sky-high SPF sunscreen? Skin cancer risks add up even when you don’t get burned.
From hormone-disrupting compounds to lung-damaging nanoparticles, ingredients in sunscreens may protect the skin but pose other kinds of health risks.
Learn how EWG rates sunscreens for effectiveness and safety.
