Public confused by sunscreen labelling, say experts

There is huge confusion over the labels on sun creams, and manufacturers should all use the same rating system, says the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

A survey of 2,000 UK adults found one in five was unaware that the SPF rating does not mean protection against all sun damage - only that from UVB rays.

Protection against UVA rays is indicated by a "star" rating.

Ultraviolet A rays cause skin-ageing and wrinkles. Both UVB and UVA rays from the sun can cause skin cancer.

The protection provided by sun creams and lotions against UVB rays, which cause sunburn, is denoted by the SPF or factor on the bottle.

But there are also ultraviolet A rays (UVA) to consider too, which penetrate the skin more deeply, causing it to age - but only one in three checked the UVA star rating when buying sunscreen, the survey found.

When buying a sunscreen, you should look for the level of UVA protection (denoted by a UVA star rating) and UVB protection (denoted by the SPF).

The UVA star rating ranges from nought to five and indicates the percentage of UVA radiation absorbed by the sunscreen in comparison to UVB.

How do sunscreens and lotions protect us?

'Complicated'

Prof Jayne Lawrence, chief scientist for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said: "Clearly many consumers do not realise the SPF rating applies only to the amount of protection offered against UVB rays, not UVA rays - both of which can damage the skin and cause skin cancer.

"People should not have to pick their way through complicated dual ratings information to understand how sunscreen works and the amount of protection it potentially provides."

Bbc