Enjoy Your Timeshare Vacation and Don’t Miss the New Rules of Sun Safety

We’d like to say we are quoting Kurt Vonnegut’s well-known address to the 1997 graduating class of MIT but, of course, by now, most people recognize that as a well-effected internet hoax. However, regardless of whether the legendary author actually said it, the advice remains accurate: Use sunscreen.

In the past month, the FDA has begun instituting new regulations for sunscreen manufacturers regarding how they market their product. The FDA fears the current labeling is confusing or misleading and with melanoma, primarily caused by sun exposure, on the rise, the labels need to be as clear as possible.

The FDA is instituting new regulations governing how sunscreen manufacturers can market their products. Apparently the FDA is concerned that the way the labels are written now is confusing and misleading, which means people may not be getting the sun protection they think they are getting.

Here’s what has been concerning the FDA. While most sunscreens with a high Sun Protection Factor (SPF) protect against ultraviolet B rays, not all offer protection against ultraviolet A rays which are equally a problem when it comes to skin cancer.

With the new standards, sunscreens that do not offer protection against both ultraviolet A and B rays, and that have a sun protection factor below 15, will have to carry a warning label that reads, “This product has been shown only to help prevent sunburn, not skin cancer or early skin aging.”

Products that offer protection against UVA and UVB rays will soon be labeled “Broad Spectrum” to make it easier for you to pick them out. After all, if you are going to use sunscreen, and we all should, you want to choose one that is offers protection against both painful sunburns and the threat of skin cancer.

More tips on sun protection:

• Ignore the promise of waterproof or sweat proof sunscreens. The FDA thinks both claims are dubious and will soon make manufacturers stop making them. They will be replaced by statements about a product’s water resistance.
• Apply your sunscreen daily, especially if you live in the Sunbelt States. You receive more cumulative exposure than you realize just in your daily routine.
• Apply sunscreen to dry skin and reapply throughout the day.
• Wear a wide brim hat and clothing that protects you.
• Don’t forget your sunglasses.

And from all of us at The Timeshare Authority blog and Sell My Timeshare NOW, we wish you safe and sunny summer holidays.