The New York Times recently printed an investigative report on the status of sunscreen labeling in the United States, and their findings show that American consumers are not being completely informed on the amount of protection that their sunscreen actually provides. Contrary to popular belief, SPF is an incomplete protection ratings system, as it only measures protection against UVB rays and offers no insight into the protection—if any— against UVA rays, which can cause skin cancer and wrinkles.
Moreover, many of the most effective ingredients that filter out UVA rays and that are mainstays in European sunscreen formulas are still awaiting approval by the FDA. The New York Times cites the Tinosorb filter, currently found in the formulas of Avène’s European sun care line, as one such ingredient awaiting the green light for use in American formulations. But they indicate that the complicated and bureaucratic approval process that the sun protection ratings system is undergoing may result in a long road ahead before these more-effective sunscreens ever make it to shelves. The New York Times also reports that educated consumers, to circumvent the inefficiencies on the part of the FDA, have gone so far as to order their sun care products directly from Europe to help ensure optimal protection against the full spectrum of UV rays.
Eau Thermale Avène is committed to the protection of our customer’s skin health. Not only do we seek to offer the highest level of sun care protection through medical research and constant optimization of our formulas, but we also actively work to ensure that these groundbreaking developments can make it into the hands of our American consumers. Click here to read the full article and sign up below to learn more about how we can join together in the pursuit of making sunscreen labeling more transparent; encourage the FDA to allow Americans to have access to the same high-level sun-care ingredients; and receive notification when our Tinosorb formulas are finally available for purchase.
