The economic burden of sunscreen usage

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Public Health
• Health Economics

Background:

• Excessive sun exposure and ultraviolet (UV) radiation are primary causes of skin cancer, premature aging, and DNA damage.
• Sunscreens are essential for protection against UV radiation, but their economic impact is understudied.
• Understanding sunscreen costs is crucial for public health recommendations and accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the annual cost of sunscreen use.
• To compare costs based on Sun Protection Factor (SPF) and brand (name brand vs. store brand).
• To assess affordability under ideal and actual usage conditions.

Main Methods:

• Collected pricing data for sunscreens with SPF 30, 50, 70, and 100.
• Recorded container size and price for each sunscreen type.
• Calculated annual expenditures based on estimated usage patterns.

Main Results:

• Sunscreen prices increase with higher SPF values.
• Generic or store brand sunscreens offer significant savings (40%-50%) compared to name brands.
• Estimated annual sunscreen expenditure for SPF 50 is affordable, ranging from $30.21 to $61.94 for average use.

Conclusions:

• Sunscreens are an economically viable method for UV protection.
• Generic sunscreen brands provide a cost-effective alternative without compromising protection.
• Affordable sunscreen options support consistent use for skin cancer prevention.