Getting the right sunscreen

You may have heard the recent news about a potential class-action lawsuit regarding the misinformation on the labels of several sunscreen manufacturers touting "broad spectrum"
or "full spectrum" protection when it really is not.

Basically, there are two types of sun rays that you are exposed to... UVA and UVB. You may use what you consider to be a good sunscreen that blocks out the rays so you never get a tan or even any indication that the sun has affected your skin. Nonetheless, you may not be getting all of the protection you thought you were getting. While you may get sunburn protection from UVB rays with your sunscreen and you may even get partial skin cancer protection from UVA rays with your sunscreen...many of the sunscreens on the market do not adequately protect you from the broad spectrum of UVA rays. In short, the rays on the higher end of the UVA spectrum may not be blocked with your current sunscreen. You continue to be exposed to these skin cancer causing rays even though you may never get a sunburn.

While no sunscreen provides complete (full-spectrum) sun protection, two products are the best. At least one of them needs to be in your sunscreen to give you the most protection from UVA rays. They are:
1) Zinc Oxide-considered to be the best protection
2) Avobenzone - also called Parsol 1789