HUP study backs up sunscreens' claims

A recent University study has shown that the sunscreen industry is being honest in its attempts to save people's skins. The study was prompted by concerns that increasing SPF numbers some claiming to allow sun lovers to bask 50 times longer than their normal capacity were simply a marketing scheme. But Hospital of the University Pennsylvania Dermatologist Kays Kaidbey concluded that an SPF-30 sunscreen undoubtedly offers more protection than the SPF-15 lotion. In his studies, Kaidbey also found that higher numbered sunscreens are especially important because laboratory-developed SPF-15 sunscreens were less effective by about five points when tested in the sun. "Fair-skinned people need more than than a SPF-15 when they want to go out into the sun," Kaidbey said. Kaidbey received a grant from the Simon Greenberg Company, an independent organization wich funds reseachers. In his research he analyzed dead sunburned skin cells treated with the all SPF levels to determine whether higher numbers provided greater protection or were just an advertising gimmick. Rebecca Harmon, a HUP spokesperson, said the Kaidbey's study proves that "in this case, there is truth in advertising." Kaidbey said that he feels his research is particularly important due to the increasing threat to the skin due because of atmospheric changes. Kaidbey also said that although the SPF rating of a sunscreen is determined by guidelines set by the Food and Drug Administration to eliminate variances between the numbers on different brands of sunscreens, "inconsistencies [between brand names] are occasionally found."

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