High protection sunscreen does not increase sun exposure times

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Those wearing high protection sunscreen did not spend longer in the sun than those wearing basic level sunscreen, says a new study.
Sun exposure is an important factor in the development of skin cancer. And melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer, has been on the increase over the last three decades. That is why wearing protection against the sun is important. However, the issue is controversial - with some experts suggesting that stronger sunscreens actually increase the risk of cancer by making people believe it is safe to stay in the sun for longer.

A team in Paris did a test of sunscreen use and sun exposure behaviour. They gave 367 vacationers from four French seaside resorts one of three sunscreens - SPF 40 labeled as 'high protection', SPF 40 labeled as 'basic protection' and SPF 12 labeled as 'basic protection'. No mention of SPF level was made on the labels. All kept a diary of their sun exposure.

Neither SPF nor labeling seemed to affect sun exposure time, which was an average of 12-14 hours during the week. And those in the SPF 12 group had more sunburn. The findings suggest that high SPF sunscreens are a good thing - they do not increase sun exposure time and they protect from sunburn which, in itself, may raise the risk of skin cancer.

Source
Archives of Dermatology August 2005 Volume 141 pages 950-956