The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants you to know, more than 1 million people in the United States receive a diagnosis of skin cancer annually. These cancers are associated with exposure to UV rays that come from the sun. Suntan lotions are designed to help protect your skin from these harmful ultraviolet rays.
Types
Look for the words suntan lotion, sunblock and sunscreen on products that prevent sunburn at the drugstore. Marty O. Visscher, Ph.D., Executive Director and Scientific Investigator at The Skin Sciences Institute at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, points out these words are more than just advertising catch-phrases. Suntan lotion is a generic term meaning any lotion you use in the sun. Sunblock means the lotion contains ingredients that prevent ultraviolet rays from penetrating the top layers of your skin and damaging the skin cells below. Sunscreen contains ingredients that do not prevent penetration of ultraviolet light, but do prevent damage to the innermost dermal layers. Dr. Visscher suggests using sunblocks over sunscreens.
Active Ingredients
The Library of Congress' Science Reference Services provides information on the active ingredients in sunscreen and sunblock. It explains zinc oxide and titanium oxide are the active ingredients in sunblock and "reflect or scatter ultraviolet, UV, radiation." UV rays are a known carcinogen. Octyl methoxycinnamate or oxybenzone are some active ingredients in sunscreen. Sunscreens absorb the UV radiation and dissipate it as heat.
SPF
The acronym SPF stands for "sun protection factor" and measures the ability of suntan lotion to protect your skin from UV-B rays. An SPF number is required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Library of Congress' Science Reference Services describes UV-B rays as the sun's rays that cause sunburn. These rays are partially, but not completely, blocked by the ozone layer. It cautions SPF suntan lotions do not block UV-A rays, only "broad-spectrum protection" suntan lotions do. UV-A rays are not responsible for sunburn, but penetrate the skin deeper than UV-B rays.
Poisoning
If you ingest suntan lotion, the National Institutes of Health warns you may get suntan lotion poisoning. It explains the poisonous ingredients in suntan lotion include, but are not limited to PABA, cinnamates, padimate-o, aspirin-like compounds and zinc oxide. The NIH warns common symptoms of suntan lotion poisoning are nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath and slowed respiration in cases with extremely high doses. Call the National Poison Control Center immediately.
Sun Protection Plan
The EPA says, "Sunscreens by themselves might not offer enough protection to prevent skin cancer." The EPA suggests creating a complete sun protection plan that includes suntan lotion. It provides simple, but effective suggestions like moving into the shade, wearing a brimmed hat and avoiding tanning on the beach or at a tanning center.
