Your SPF may not be protecting you as well as you think!!!

Faith in sunscreen may be unwarranted, according to a recent report on the products' safety and efficacy by the Environmental Working Group, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit environmental research and advocacy organization. In their fourth annual Sunscreen Guide, the group gave low marks to the current crop of sunscreens on the market, recommending only 39 of 500 or 8% of beach and sport sunscreens as safe for consumer use.

The 2010 Photo-aging Study summary reports that 8 in 10 People don't know that the major contributor in the aging of skin is repeated exposure to sunlight. Photo-aging (premature aging of the skin through sun exposure), is the cause of up to 90% of the skin changes that people often relate to just getting older. These solar symptoms can include wrinkles, sagging, liver spots, spider veins, uneven color and leathery texture.

The study also found that while most people are willing to slap on some sunscreen or slip on a pair of sunglasses to protect themselves from sun damage, few were willing to adopt other precautions, like avoiding outdoor tanning or wearing more clothing to cover the skin

"Products with high SPF ratings sell a false sense of security," says Dave Andrews, senior scientist for the group. " People who use these products stay out in the sun longer, so they still get burned, and because most of these products provide a low ratio of UVA [ultraviolet A] to UVB [ultraviolet B] protection, overexposure is still very common, and has been linked to skin cancer."

It is vitally important to follow the recommended guidelines to reduce exposure to sunlight. If you suspect that you may have been overexposed or are showing signs or symptoms, Contact the doctors at Miramar Dermatology and Skin Cancer Associates today.