With the rise in the number of skin cancer cases diagnosed annually, negative effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation are now well recognized and significant public educa- tion programs have been undertaken advocating photo protection, including the use of sunscreen. Just recently, the US Center For Disease Control (CDC) called for comments on ‘Preventing Skin Cancer through Reduction of UV Exposure’ (1). The CDC states that: ‘A majority of skin cancers are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or from indoor tanning devices, and are, therefore, preventable. Evidence clearly links exposure to UV radiation and a history of sunburn (indicating both intensity of UV exposure and skin sensitivity to radiation) to an increased risk of skin cancer’. The information obtained will be used for further response with regard to the public health.
This review focuses on sunscreens and explains the physics, chemistry of the UV filters, and also the trends in sunscreen formulations in Europe (EU), North America (NA), Latin America (LA), and Asia Pacific (AP). The use of sunscreen is embedded in a hierarchy of sun protection strategies consisting primarily of sun avoidance (shade) and covering up with clothing (2).
Sunscreens should protect against sunburn, skin photo, and skin cancer during the entire time of sun exposure. We assessed the status as well as open questions of current sunscreens, and discuss what still has to be improved. We identified four requirements for good UV protection (3).