Lawsuit Filed States Sunscreen Labels May Be Misleading

Several coordinated lawsuits were filed in California Superior Court in Los Angeles on March 29, accusing several sunscreen manufacturers of lying about the effectiveness of their products in blocking sun rays and preventing skin diseases, including cancer. The complaint charges that some products marketed as protective “sunblocks” are unreliable in protecting adults and children and can create a sense of false security that actually endangers users. Two law firms are litigating coordinated class actions, alleging systematic fraud, false advertising and persistently misleading claims that exaggerate the ability of sunscreens to protect against the sun and reduce the risk of cancer and other skin ailments. The suits claim that manufacturers are making fraudulent and misleading claims on labels, Web sites and in advertising and seek an injunction on the claims, compensation for consumers and other remedies, including an industry-funded public education program on sun protection. The seven defendants and their five brands named in the suits include Schering Plough (Coppertone), Sun Pharmaceuticals and Playtex Products (Banana Boat); Tanning Research Laboratories (Hawaiian Tropic), Neutrogena Corp., and Johnson & Johnson (Neutrogena); and Chattem, Inc., (Bullfrog).

Just 2 days after the suits were filed, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) released a statement reaffirming its position that sunscreen is beneficial when used regularly and properly and in conjunction with wearing protective clothing and seeking shade.
“Scientific evidence supports the beneficial effects of proper sunscreen usage,” Stephen P. Stone, M.D., President of the AAD, said in the statement. “While it is an important tool in the fight against skin cancer, sunscreen alone does not protect you enough. People shouldn’t feel they can stay in the sun for extended periods of time just because they are wearing sunscreen.”“While health issues are complex and involve multiple factors, we know that ultraviolet (UV) rays are the primary cause of skin cancer and the solution is to avoid excessive exposure to the sun and other forms of UV radiation,” stated Dr. Stone. “In fact, the United States Department of Health & Human Services declared UV radiation from the sun and artificial sources as a carcinogen in 2002.”

Sunscreens May Damage the Skin

Are sunscreens always beneficial, or can they be detrimental to users? A research team led by UC Riverside chemists reports that unless people out in the sun apply sunscreen often, the sunscreen itself can become harmful to the skin.
When skin is exposed to sunlight, ultraviolet radiation (UV) is absorbed by skin molecules that then can generate harmful compounds, called reactive oxygen species or ROS, which are highly reactive molecules that can cause "oxidative damage." For example, ROS can react with cellular components like cell walls, lipid membranes, mitochondria and DNA, leading to skin damage and increasing the visible signs of aging.
In their research, Hanson and colleagues used epidermal model tissue and applied sunscreen to the surface to test the effect of sunscreen penetration on ROS levels in the deep epidermis. A two-photon fluorescence microscope allowed them to visualize ROS generation occurring below the skin surface. The ROS activity was detected using a probe molecule whose fluorescent properties change upon exposure to ROS. On comparing images taken before and after the skin was exposed to UV radiation, they found that ROS generation in the skin increased after sunscreen penetration.
"For now, the best advice is to use sunscreens and re-apply them often -- the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends every two hours, and especially after sweating or swimming, which can wash away sunscreen -- to reduce the amount of UV radiation from getting through to filters that have penetrated the skin," Bardeen said. "This, in turn, would reduce ROS generation."