Q&A with Sun Shield co-founder Allen Starnes

In an effort to increase sunscreen usage, new startup Sun Shield has partnered with the Melanoma Research Association to reach organizations that champion sun safety. Sun Shield is an automatic sunscreen dispenser product hitting the market in 2016.  I recently talked with Allen Starnes, co-founder of Sun Shield, about the new startup company and skin cancer's personal impact on him.

What was the inspiration behind Sun Shield?
My partner Tyler Haggstrom was on a bike ride in Manhattan Beach, and although he applied sunscreen before he left, he did not have any sunscreen available to him to re-apply and got sunburnt. This led to our lightbulb moment - if there is hand sanitizer available to everyone, everywhere, why is there no available sun protection for the most common form of cancer in the United States?

When Tyler told me about this idea, it hit home – I was living with a family friend during his battle with stage IV melanoma. This business has given us the opportunity to meet incredible people all across the world who have been through the wars of skin cancer.  This is our strong motivating factor, and it is what pushes us to keep moving forward.

Where does this belong – and how can someone get it there?
Sun Shield belongs in all outdoor venues for everyone to have easy access to re/apply sunscreen. City parks, public pools, schools & universities, sports fields, are some of the strong areas of focus for us. This is a product that is normally sold to venues to give to their guests but it is also something that the community can help bring to their area of interest. We are working with many foundations and passionate individuals who share the same mission as us to bring these dispensers to their city, school, pool, and many other locations. Kids love the automatic dispenser!

There's sunscreen available at every drug store in America. What differentiates this?
According to the CDC, over 40% of men do not wear sunscreen at all;  when you get to re-applying, the number gets even larger. These dispensers are meant to be a reminder to everyone who forgot to apply in the morning, who left their sunscreen at home and need to re-apply, or for those who never purchase sunscreen in general. By having our dispenser as a courtesy device that a location pays for, or by offering advertising space on our machines, the public can have free access to sunscreen and eliminate all reasons for not protecting themselves while outdoors.

Free sunscreen sounds too good to be true.  What is the catch?
We are just like everyone else out there. If this dispenser was not convenient and free to the user, then we may be less inclined to use the dispenser. So this dispenser has been developed as a courtesy device that a city government can offer to the public or a hotel manager can use for their pool guests. We also offer advertising or sponsor space above the dispenser to attract local businesses or larger corporations to become a part of this mission and to share their message of protection to the public.

How does the refill process work?  Who does the maintenance (refills, battery, ads) and how involved is that?
The refill and maintenance process is seamless. Currently our dispensers offer a light notification on the front of the machine that will indicate when a refill or battery needs to be replaced. Once either light comes on, the person in charge of the dispenser's maintenance will unlock the device with a key and swap the empty 1L sunscreen pouch wth a full one. We offer rechargeable batteries that only take a few hours to charge and can last up to 2-3 weeks on a single charge. The battery is stored in the top of the dispenser and can easily be replaced.

To get in touch with Starnes or Haggstrom, visit thesunshield.com, email them at inquire@the-sunshield.com, or call at (213) 282-6964.

T.J. Sharpe shares his fight as Patient #1 against Stage 4 Melanoma in the Diagnosis: Cancer blog. Read more »