The Skin Cancer Foundation estimates that the total number of nonmelanoma skin cancers diagnosed annually in the United States is approximately 5.4 million.
In the past decade, the number of new invasive melanoma cases diagnosed each year in the United States increased by 42 percent. Research shows that having five or more sunburns doubles your melanoma risk. This is concerning, especially because skin cancer is often preventable with healthy sun protection habits.
The Skin Cancer Foundation has always recommended a complete sun protection strategy that includes seeking shade, using sunscreen daily, and covering up with clothing, hats, and sunglasses. As a public service to consumers, its Photobiology Committee of six board-certified dermatologists establishes sun protection criteria for the Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation. This May, the Committee issued new guidance on sun protection and warned against misinformation.
Steven Q. Wang, M.D., is the chief of dermatology at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, CA, and author of “Beating Melanoma: The Ultimate Patient Resource.” He is also chair of the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Photobiology Committee. He says of recent updates from the Committee, “In today’s world, we are bombarded with misinformation, and sometimes it’s hard to know what’s true. The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Photobiology Committee wants to emphasize that extensive medical research consistently shows the critical importance of protecting your skin from the sun. These protective actions can prevent sunburn, skin cancers, and skin aging induced by the sun.”
Updated sun protection standards
This May, the Photobiology Committee raised the minimum recommended sun protection factor (or SPF) for daily use sunscreens in the Seal of Recommendation program to 30. For active sunscreens (used during extended outdoor activity), the Committee now requires a minimum SPF of 50. All sunscreens in the Seal of Recommendation program have broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays (both of which have been proven to lead to skin cancer). The SPF for a sunscreen product refers to its UVB protection. UVA protection uses a critical wavelength (or CWL) measurement. The Committee raised the minimum CWL requirement for recommended products to 373 nanometers.
While SPF and CWL are measurements that are used for sunscreen, ultraviolet protection factor (or UPF) is the measurement for fabrics used in clothing, hats, and shade products. The Committee has increased the minimum UPF recommendation to 50 for these products. The Seal of Recommendation criteria for UV-protective window film, tint, glass, and lenses will remain the same. These products must prove that they block 99% of UV rays.
If consumers have questions related to the new criteria or about conflicting information they may be receiving from nonscientific sources, the Photobiology Committee invites consumers to reach out to [email protected]. Answers to frequently asked questions will appear in the Foundation’s Sun & Skin News blog.
