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“SunSmart Plus”: the more informed use of sunscreens
Author(s) -
Taylor Stephen R D
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2004.tb05773.x
Subject(s) - sun protection factor , sun protection , sunscreening agents , clothing , product (mathematics) , business , advertising , internet privacy , medicine , dermatology , computer science , mathematics , skin cancer , political science , geometry , cancer , law
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.