Description
Sunscreen agents are used to prevent sunburn. Limiting your exposure to the sun and using sunscreen agents when in the sun may help prevent early wrinkling and skin cancer. There are two kinds of sunscreen agents: chemical and physical. Chemical sunscreen agents protect you from the sun by absorbing the ultraviolet (UV) and visible sun rays, while physical sunscreen agents reflect, scatter, absorb, or block these rays.

Sunscreen agents often contain more than one ingredient. For example, products may contain one ingredient that provides protection against the ultraviolet A (UVA) sun rays and another ingredient that protects you from the ultraviolet B (UVB) sun rays, which are more likely to cause sunburn than the UVA sun rays. Ideally, coverage should include protection against both UVA and UVB sun rays.

The sun protection factor (SPF) that you find on the label of these products tells you the minimum amount of UVB sunlight that is needed with that product to produce redness on sunscreen-protected skin as compared with unprotected skin. Sunscreen products with high SPFs will provide more protection against the sun.

Sunscreen agents are available in the following dosage forms:

Topical
Aminobenzoic Acid, Padimate O, and Oxybenzone combination
Lotion (Canada)
Aminobenzoic Acid and Titanium Dioxide combination
Cream (U.S.)
Avobenzone, Octocrylene, Octyl Salicylate, and Oxybenzone combination
Lotion (Canada)
Avobenzone and Octyl Methoxycinnamate combination
Lotion (Canada)
Avobenzone, Octyl methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, and Oxybenzone combination
Cream (Canada)
Gel (Canada)
Avobenzone, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, and Oxybenzone combination
Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
Spray (Canada)
Dioxybenzone, Oxybenzone, and Padimate O combination
Cream (U.S.)
Homosalate
Lotion (U.S.)
Oil (U.S. and Canada)
Spray (U.S.)
Homosalate, Menthyl Anthranilate, and Octyl Methoxycinnamate combination
Oil (U.S.)
Homosalate, Menthyl Anthranilate, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, and Oxybenzone combination
Lip Balm (U.S. and Canada)
Lotion (U.S.)
Homosalate, Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, and Oxybenzone combination
Lotion (Canada)
Homosalate, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, and Oxybenzone combination
Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
Stick (U.S.)
Homosalate, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, and Oxybenzone combination
Gel (U.S.)
Homosalate and Oxybenzone combination
Spray (U.S.)
Lisadimate, Oxybenzone, and Padimate O combination
Lotion (U.S.)
Lisadimate and Padimate O combination
Lotion (U.S.)
Menthyl Anthranilate
Cream (U.S.)
Menthyl Anthranilate, Octocrylene, and Octyl Methoxycinnamate combination
Cream (U.S.)
Menthyl Anthranilate, Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, and Oxybenzone combination
Gel (U.S.)
Menthyl Anthranilate and Octyl Methoxycinnamate combination
Cream (U.S.)
Lotion (U.S.)
Menthyl Anthranilate, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, and Octyl Salicylate combination
Cream (U.S.)
Menthyl Anthranilate, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, and Oxybenzone combination
Lotion (U.S.)
Menthyl Anthranilate, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, and Oxybenzone combination
Gel (U.S.)
Lip Balm (U.S.)
Lotion (U.S.)
Menthyl Anthranilate and Padimate O combination
Lip Balm (Canada)
Menthyl Anthranilate and Titanium Dioxide combination
Cream (U.S.)
Octocrylene and Octyl Methoxycinnamate combination
Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, and Oxybenzone combination
Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, Oxybenzone, and Titanium Dioxide combination
Lotion (U.S.)
Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, and Oxybenzone combination
Cream (U.S.)
Gel (U.S.)
Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Oxybenzone, and Titanium Dioxide combination
Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, and Titanium Dioxide combination
Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
Octyl Methoxycinnamate
Gel (Canada)
Lotion (U.S.)
Octyl Methoxycinnamate and Octyl Salicylate combination
Gel (U.S. and Canada)
Lotion (U.S.)
Oil (U.S.)
Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, and Oxybenzone combination
Cream (U.S. and Canada)
Gel (U.S.)
Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
Spray (U.S.)
Stick (U.S.)
Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, Oxybenzone, and Padimate O combination
Lotion (Canada)
Spray (U.S.)
Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, Oxybenzone, Padimate O, and Titanium Dioxide combination
Lotion (U.S.)
Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, Oxybenzone, Phenylbenzimidazole, and Titanium Dioxide combination
Lotion (U.S.)
Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, Oxybenzone, and Titanium Dioxide combination
Cream (Canada)
Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, Phenylbenzimidazole, and Titanium Dioxide combination
Lotion (U.S.)
Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, and Titanium Dioxide combination
Lotion (U.S.)
Octyl Methoxycinnamate and Oxybenzone combination
Cream (U.S.)
Gel (U.S.)
Lip Balm (U.S. and Canada)
Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
Stick (U.S. and Canada)
Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Oxybenzone, and Padimate O combination
Lotion (U.S.)
Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Oxybenzone, Padimate O, and Titanium Dioxide combination
Stick (Canada)
Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Oxybenzone, and Titanium Dioxide combination
Lotion (U.S.)
Octyl Methoxycinnamate and Padimate O combination
Oil (U.S.)
Octyl Methoxycinnamate and Phenylbenzimidazole combination
Cream (U.S.)
Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
Octyl Salicylate
Spray (U.S.)
Octyl Salicylate and Padimate O combination
Lotion (U.S.)
Oxybenzone and Padimate O combination
Cream (Canada)
Lip Balm (U.S. and Canada)
Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
Oil (U.S. and Canada)
Stick (U.S.)
Oxybenzone and Roxadimate combination
Cream (Canada)
Lotion (Canada)
Padimate O
Lip Balm (U.S. and Canada)
Lotion (U.S.)
Oil (U.S.)
Phenylbenzimidazole
Gel (U.S.)
Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
Phenylbenzimidazole and Sulisobenzone combination
Gel (U.S.)
Titanium Dioxide
Lotion (U.S.)
Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide combination
Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
Trolamine Salicylate
Oil (U.S.)

Proper Use of This Product
Sunscreen agents are for external use only. These products usually come with patient directions. Read them carefully before using any product.

In choosing the sunscreen product, you may consider the following:

Type of ActivityTake precautions when you are in places of higher elevations (mountains) or on reflective surfaces (concrete, sand, snow, or water), as these may increase the likelihood of sun damage to the skin. Use a sunscreen with ultraviolet A/ultraviolet B (UVA/UVB) coverage and with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Activities that make you sweat, such as outdoor jobs (gardeners, construction workers), outdoor sports (tennis) or exercise, prolonged sunbathing, or watersports such as swimming, waterskiing, or windsurfing, may result in the removal of the sunscreen agent from the skin. Use a water-resistant or waterproof sunscreen agent with SPF of 15 or more. When possible, also wear a hat, long-sleeved shirt, long pants, and UV-opaque sunglasses. Wearing UV-opaque sunglasses when you are in the sun is also necessary because the sun rays can cause cataracts.
AgeDo not use sunscreen agents on infants less than 6 months of age. For children 6 months of age and older, use a lotion form of sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher. Avoid using alcohol-based sunscreen products for this age group.
Site of applicationFor the ear and nose, use a physical sunscreen agent. For the lips, use a gel-based lip sunscreen or lip balm.
Skin conditionIf your skin is dry, use a cream or lotion form of sunscreen agent. If your skin is oily, use an alcohol or gel-based sunscreen. Avoid using alcohol-based sunscreens on eczematous or inflamed skin.

Skin Type (complexion) Appropriate Sunscreen Agent Very fairAlways burns easily; rarely tans Use SPF 20 to 30 FairAlways burns easily; tans minimally Use SPF 12 to 20 LightBurns moderately; tans gradually (light brown) Use SPF 8 to 12 MediumBurns minimally; always tans well (moderate brown) Use SPF 4 to 8 DarkRarely burns; tans profusely (dark brown) Use SPF 2 to 4
Before every exposure to the sun, apply an appropriate sunscreen product that protects you against ultraviolet sun rays. For maximum sun protection, sunscreens should be applied uniformly and thickly to all exposed skin surfaces (including the lips, using lip sunscreen or lip balm). Sunscreen products containing aminobenzoic acid, lisadimate, padimate O, or roxadimate should be applied 1 to 2 hours before sun exposure. Other sunscreen products should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure, unless otherwise directed by the package instructions. Lip sunscreens should be applied 45 to 60 minutes before sun exposure.

Because most sunscreens are easily removed from the skin, you should reapply these products liberally every 1 to 2 hours for adequate protection. You should reapply sunscreen especially after swimming or heavy perspiration. Lip sunscreens should be reapplied liberally at least once every hour while you are in the sun and also before and after swimming, after eating and drinking, and during other activities that remove it from the lips.

Keep sunscreen products away from the eyes.

Some sunscreen agents contain alcohol and are flammable. Do not use near heat, near open flame, or while smoking.

Dosing - Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average dose of sunscreen agents.

For topical dosage forms (cream, gel, lotion, lip balm, oil, spray, and stick):
For sunburn (prevention):
Adults and children 6 months of age and olderApply liberally and evenly to exposed area(s) of skin (including the lips, using lip sunscreen or lip balm) before sun exposure. Reapply when needed.
Children under 6 months of ageUse is not recommended.

Storage - To store this product:

Keep out of the reach of children.
Store away from heat and direct light.
Keep the product from freezing. Do not refrigerate.
Do not keep outdated sunscreen product no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded sunscreen product is out of the reach of children.

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