Inquirer Editorial: Skin time

New rules announced Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration should help sun worshipers at the Shore better protect themselves by clarifying the confusing and misleading labeling on sunscreens.

With the regulations coming after three - count 'em - three decades of study, they're long overdue.

The FDA review went on for at least as long as consumers have been confused by which to use among the dozens of sunscreen products on store shelves. UVB? UVA? Which sun protection factor, or SPF, is best?

It's good that regulators at last have taken action, and that they have opted for rules that clearly will warn consumers about sunscreens that do not offer enough protection against skin damage.

Now, sunscreens boasting on their labels that they are the best protection actually must be able to shield sunbathers from rays that cause cancer, as well as burning and wrinkling. That makes sense. And only those sunscreens can be labeled as "broad spectrum," a designation now common among products that may not protect against all harmful rays.

The FDA also offers consumers some sound advice on whether to spend a few extra bucks for sunscreen with SPF protections greater than 50. Don't bother, says the FDA - citing the lack of scientific evidence that the arms race in SPF numbers has made any difference in terms of safety.

Another hopeful step is a pending FDA review on the possible adverse effects of key chemicals used in many sunscreens.

As always, the best protection from skin cancer is to minimize exposure to the midday sun - period. When the beach beckons during the hottest part of the day, it's critical to keep reapplying any brand of sunscreen, no matter what its sun-protection rating.

Meanwhile, the FDA will be doing consumers a service with its new rules, since Americans should be getting the most for the estimated $680 million they spend annually on sunscreens.

From a public-health perspective, the FDA intervention will assure that more sunscreen products are manufactured to meet the greater safety standard. After all, what manufacturers would want to slap on a label that warns consumers their sunscreen doesn't help in the fight against skin cancer?

For sunbathers not yet taking adequate steps to shield themselves - fortunately, they are fewer and fewer - the FDA action should stand as a public-service reminder of the wisdom of that apocryphal commencement speaker said to have offered graduates two sensible words of advice: "Wear sunscreen."