Every doctor, myself included, will expound upon the benefits of sunscreen. We'll emphasize how sunscreen protects your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays, lowers your chance of skin cancer and slows the aging process. We convince you not to leave the house without it. So you head to the store ready to heed our advice and then get stuck when confronted with 47 different brands of sunscreen; because really, how is the average person supposed to tell the difference?

You wonder which ingredients are helpful and which are just marketing hype. You eventually end up buying a bottle, but you're still not sure you made the right choice. The truth is, you probably didn't. Not all sunscreens are created equal.

Last week, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a Washington-based nonprofit, released its annual list of sunscreen rankings measuring the safety and effectiveness ratings for 1,700 SPF products, including sunscreens and SPF-labeled lip balm, makeup, and moisturizer. The group warns that most sunscreens on the market are “filled with problematic ingredients, unsubstantiated marketing claims and offer lackluster protection.'' According to their research, 3 out of 5 sunscreens offer inadequate protection against ultraviolet A rays — the main culprit when it comes to skin cancer and wrinkles.

The EWG's Skin Deep website offers a searchable database that ranks all 1,700 products in terms of UVA and UVB protection as well as ingredients. Before you delve into the database, you should first understand the difference between sunblock and sunscreen.

• Sunscreen contains chemical ingredients that absorb sunlight.
• Sunblock contains physical ingredients that stay on top of the skin's surface forming a protective barrier. Sunlight is reflected, scattered or absorbed into the ingredient, but not into the skin itself.

Selecting a sunscreen with as few questionable ingredients as possible is a good compromise, but even here there's controversy. The EWG suggests avoiding products with oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate (sometimes listed as vitamin A), but the American Academy of Dermatology recommends oxybenzone specifically.

Both sides agree that physical ingredients such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are safe and effective and they work well for people with sensitive skin and children. In the past, zinc oxide brought to mind a thick white paste slathered over a lifeguard's nose, today's formulations contain micronized particles that are barely visible.

The best thing you can do to protect yourself from the sun that everyone can agree upon?

• Choose mineral protection such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide
• Choose creams and lotions versus sprays and powders as you are more likely to get better coverage
• Even when wearing sunscreen, block the sun with protective clothing, sunglasses and hat
• Minimize your exposure to the sun between 10 a.m.to 4 p.m.because that's when rays are strongest
• Reapply sunscreens at least every two hours, or after getting wet or sweaty
• Use at least a shot glass full of sunscreen every time you apply

 Categoried under:  Aesthetics Education, Anti-Aging