Sunscreens Basics: From Theory to Practice

In the Cosmetic and Personal care market, almost everyday creams claim to offer a sun protection factor or SPF and broad-spectrum protection or PA, and body products for summer holidays claim high SPF and PA numbers. In the U.S. the sun-filters (UV absorbing molecules) are listed on a positive list, they are considered drugs that can be sold over the counter (OTC), and their claims (protection against sunburn, skin cancer, and skin aging) are regulated by the FDA. In this 90-minute accredited online session, we will review the concept of Sun Protection, SPF, PA, broad spectrum protection, and critical wavelength. We will provide information about the key parameters playing relevant roles in the achievement of the SPF/PA values of a topical product. We will discuss the use of UV-absorbing material of anti-inflammatory agents and of antioxidants directly.