September 2015
Assessment of Consumer Knowledge of New Sunscreen Labels
JAMA Dermatol. 2015;151(9):1028-1030. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2015.1253
UV-A radiation is associated with accelerated skin aging, while UV-B exposure is associated with sunburns.1 Exposure to both types of radiation is a major risk factor for the development of skin cancer.1 By protecting the skin from UV light, sunscreen protects against these negative sequelae of sun exposure.2-4 In 2011, the US Food and Drug Administration announced new regulations for sunscreen labels to emphasize the importance of protection against both UV-A and UV-B radiation, now known as broad-spectrum protection.5,6 In this survey study, we assessed consumer comprehension of sunscreen labels and knowledge of general sun protective behaviors.