SPF-30 is superior to SPF-15 sunscreen In prelenting ultraliolet ndiation-induced production of sunburn cells

With the advent of sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of > IS, the Question is raised whether this is necessary, as the largest possible daily dose of ultraviolet radiation may not exceed about 2S-fold the minimum erythema dose (MED) and in most regions it does not exceed IS MED. Thus, 16 white adults applied SPF-IS and SPF-30 labelled product to separate skin sites prior to exposure with ultraviolet radiation equal to each subjects' predetermined SPF for the SPF-IS labelled product.

For the SPF-IS labelled sunscreen, the mean SPF was 14.S. Using the mean number of sunburn cells present in IO-high power fields to provide an endpoint of acute damage 20-24 hours postexposure, SPF-30 provided significantly better protection than SPF-IS (2.96 vs 7.4S cells, respectively).

'A dolt of 15 MED,. IIowe,er. did ru"lt ill tile fomuuioll of tl few '''lib"", celli ill tile SPF-30 protectetl ,kill; til;' jiuill, ,.gut, tlud i"jll" to epitUnui celli CtlIf occ"r nell witlt tile .. of tl ,,,perpotellt '''IIICIWIf.' Kaidbey KH. The pbotoprotective potential of the new superpotent sunscreens. Journal of the American Academy of DermatolQIY 22: 449-452. Mar 1990 llJl

10 _ 13 Jun 1990 INPHARMA@ ISSN 0J56-1703/90/0613-0001/0S01.00/0 (<) Adis International I.td