With summer in full gear displays of sunscreen appear in every drug, discount and grocery store and many other retail outlets as well. We grab handfuls, dig up bottles from last year and liberally apply it whenever we take a step out of doors. The ozone layer is thinning…didn’t you hear?

But what are we really putting on our skin? A recent study raises some concerns.

…. a new investigation of 952 name-brand sunscreens, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that 4 out of 5 sunscreen products offer inadequate protection from the sun, or contain ingredients with significant safety concerns. Leading brands were the worst offenders: None of market leader Coppertone’s 41 sunscreen products met EWG’s criteria for safety and effectiveness, and only 1 of 103 products from Banana Boat and Neutrogena, the second- and third-largest manufacturers, are recommended by EWG. Need to check to see if your sunscreen is one of those found to be most toxic? How about trying to find out which sunscreen is the best for your family? Skin Deep’s database has the answers.

I’ve been using the Skin Deep site to research a variety of cosmetics and skin care products for awhile now, but hadn’t realized how extensive their sunscreen database is. Over 1000 sunscreens are listed, ranked and given a grade. This information turns out to be rather important since the Environmental Working Group found that:

· Only 15% of 952 products analyzed met EWG’s criteria for safety and effectiveness, blocking both UVA and UVB radiation, remaining stable in sunlight, and containing few if any ingredients with significant known or suspected health hazards. Our assessment is based on a detailed review of hundreds of scientific studies, industry models of sunscreen efficacy, and toxicity and regulatory information housed in nearly 60 government, academic, and industry databases.

· Many products lack UVA protection. Our analysis found that 7 percent of high SPF sunscreens (SPF of at least 30) protect only from sunburn (UVB radiation), and do not contain ingredient combinations known to protect from UVA, the sun rays linked to skin damage and aging, immune system problems, and potentially skin cancer. FDA does not require that sunscreens guard against UVA radiation.

A top pick from the Skin Deep Database is sunscreen from California Baby. Surprisingly, or perhaps not, some sunscreens marketed as natural scored the lowest in the ranking. Most drugstore brands however seem to have scored around the middle.

For a truly safe summer though, it’s best to take a minute and check out your sunscreen. It’s worth the extra minute it takes.

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