SunSmart Plus": the more informed use of sunscreens.
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 14709127.
- No licence information is recorded for this record.
- Because redistribution is not established, this page shows the abstract only. Follow the links below for the full text.
Abstract
The sun protection factor (SPF) of sunscreens is determined by a testing protocol that specifies a sunscreen application rate of 2 mg/cm(2) on the skin. Most people, for cosmetic and economic reasons, only apply enough sunscreen to achieve an SPF of about a third or even a quarter of the level stated on the product. To increase public awareness of the problem, manufacturers could be required to state both a "tested SPF" and an "expected SPF" (a third of the tested SPF) on product labelling. The "SunSmart" message could be modified to make the public more aware of the actual protection level they are achieving with sunscreen. Other aspects of the SunSmart message (eg, sun avoidance, wearing protective clothing) should also be reinforced.