FDA Pushing To Regular Sunscreen Lotions

Now that spring is upon us, more and more people throughout the country are gearing up for those much-needed beach vacations and getaways. There's nothing quite as relaxing as soaking up some rays on your favorite beach. However, there's been growing concern over the Federal Drug Administration's (FDA) failure to regulate sunscreen lotions, oils and other related problems, leaving some people to question whether they are safe to use.

According to reports, the FDA has not updated its list of approved ingredients for use in sunscreen products since 1999! There are currently eight ingredients which have been in the FDA's "pending" status since 2003. Without FDA approval, sunscreen lotion companies are not able to legally use the ingredients in their product; therefore, they are forced to use old, dated ingredients that may or may not be as effective as some of the more recent ingredients.

So, why is it taking the FDA such an incredibly long time to finally address the issue of sunscreen lotions? There's really no excuse for the FDA's behavior, as other types of products are approved within 1-2 years. They have since acknowledged the need for faster approval of sunscreen lotions and products and are working to expedite the process.

"Unfortunately, the FDA doesn’t always accept research in studies done abroad and they often require the manufacturers to redemonstrate the use and efficacy of their products that are available in the US so [there] tends to be more of a backlog," said Dr. Sonita Barta, a dermatologist working out of the Santa Monica, California.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S., affecting over 3.5 million people annually. While most types of skin cancer are treatable when discovered early, they can still pose a direct threat to a person's health and well-being. This is why it's important for beach-goers to wear a high-SPF sunscreen lotion. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, and it's a direct indicator of a sunscreen lotion's ability to block out one of the two radioactive ultraviolet rays emitted by the sun.

Hopefully, the FDA's newfound drive and determination to focus on backlogs of pending sunscreen ingredients will allow for more effective products. There's still official word yet on when the FDA will get around to reviewing these products, but the media attention surrounding this topic is sure to speed up the process.

Are you concerned about the ingredients found in sunscreen lotion? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!