Evaluating the UVA protection of commercially available sunscreens

Because the protection factor of sunscreens concerns only UVB protection, usually only a little is known about the protection offered in the UVA range. Photoprotection against ultraviolet A (UVA) by five commercially available sunscreens and their components was evaluated in humans, with erythema and pigmentation used as end points. Because UVA-induced tanning obscures a UVA-erythema, quantitative analysis of UVA-erythema cannot be used as the end point in this study. All products provided low UVA protection factor (1.02-1.9). The sunscreen which contain 3 per cent Parsol 1789 was the most effective product and significantly better than the other (p < 0.0001).