Why broad spectrum coverage?
Sun protection is more than just UVB. As discussed, UVA has untoward cutaneous effects, including photoaging and skin cancer development. Therefore, people must choose a product that provides broad spectrum coverage. The active ingredients should protect against UVA and UVB. What is the active ingredient? Sunscreens can be subclassified by their chemical structure: inorganic/physical and organic/chemical blockers. • Inorganic sunscreens are inert chemicals that physically protect the cutaneous surface by reflecting and scattering UV light. These include titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Historically, these compounds were opaque and aesthetically unacceptable for daily use. New microsized formulations, however, are less visible on the skin after application, especially when pigments are added to simulate flesh tones.5 • Organic sunscreens are typically aromatic compounds that absorb UV light, converting the energy to a lower energy wavelength. Although claims are unproven, chemical sunsc
