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Consumer Reports Finds Most Effective Sunscreen

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Jun 23, 2009 5:50 pm US/Eastern

Consumer Reports Finds Most Effective Sunscreen

  As much as you might enjoy a day in the sun, the sun's ultraviolet rays can damage skin and contribute to skin cancer.

What's your best protection?

Consumer Reports tested 10 sunscreens.

Most promise to guard against both UVA and UVB rays.

The UVA and UVB rays are the ultraviolet rays from the sun that cause wrinkles, burning and even cancer.

Testers applied sunscreen to people's skin at an independent lab. After waiting at least 15 minutes, they exposed the skin to UVB radiation or UVA.
 
All the sunscreens offered good to excellent UVB protection. That's known as the SPF.

"The SPF or sun protection factor tells you how much sun you can handle before burning, compared to wearing no sunscreen at all," explained Jamie Kopf Hirsh of Consumer Reports. "We recommend an SPF of at least 30."

But after sitting in water, nearly all the sunscreens lost a little UVB protection.

That's why Hirsh said to reapply sunscreen after you swim or work up a sweat and as a general rule every two hours.

When it came to UVA rays, tests showed one of the lotions was just fair.

It's Banana Boat Kids' Tear Free, with an SPF of 50, but another lotion also marketed for kids did well. It is Coppertone's Water Babies and adults can use it too. It was a Consumer Report's Best Buy.

Another best buy is the least expensive sunscreen tested, Target's Up and Up Sport Sunscreen Continuous Spray with an SPF of 30.

Walgreens Continuous Spray Sport SPF 50 was a best buy, too. The highest rated sunscreen tested was Aveeno Continuous Protection Spray SPF 45.

Whatever sunscreen you choose, advice is use a generous amount.

Consumer Reports says when it comes to skin cancer, don't rely on sunscreen alone for protection. Take other precautions. You can wear a hat or tightly woven clothing.

The best protection is stay out of the direct sun during the hottest part of the day.

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