When it comes to sunscreen, the big news that has everyone abuzz is the impending launch of 50+ sunscreen onto the Australian market. While the higher SPF allowance has already been adopted by nearby neighbours New Zealand, the current TGA regulations in Oz abide by the Australian/New Zealand Sunscreen Standard ruling from 1998 that allows a maximum SPF of 30+. All this is about to change though, following a revised Standard being published on May 30 this year which allows sunscreen products to be labelled with a maximum SPF claim of 50+. Although the revised Standard for sunscreens is good news for the industry, this new legal Standard is still awaiting on regulation amendments by the Therapeutic Goods Regulations.
Timing
The TGA official stand is that the amendments are currently under consideration. We can't put a time frame on when this will be completed.” However, members of Accord Australasia – the national industry association for the hygiene, cosmetic and specialty products industry – believe differently. The TGA is going to change the regulation that enables a higher SPF claim – so going from 30+ to 50+ - and they have indicated that will happen in October,” reveals L’Oréal Australia and New Zealand scientific manager Samantha Hass. This is information I’ve received through our industry association.”
While many brands have their 50+ products ready and waiting for the new regulations to be approved, it still is going to be well into the spring/summer season before we start seeing the new sunscreens hitting shelves. Any primary sunscreen product, you have to register with the TGA first and get your Aust L [Australian Listing Number] – which is a unique product description number that has to be included on the packaging,” explains Hass. Logistically, if they change the regulation in October, that means some time in late October companies will be able to apply for a new listing. The listing number will need to be placed on the packaging itself. So you can imagine packaging changes, artwork changes, stickers produced – it’s a bit of a rush to get everything ready in time for the summer season.”
What exactly is 50+ sunscreen?
So what exactly is 50+, and how does it differ from 30+? The SPF of a sunscreen is derived by taking the time it takes you to burn with a sunscreen on and dividing it by the time taken for you to burn without a sunscreen,” explains scientific affairs manager Dr Kerryn Grieve. For example, if you burn in 150 minutes while wearing a sunscreen and 10 minutes without a sunscreen, this equals 150/10, - so the sunscreen will have an SPF of 15. An SPF30 will offer 30 times your natural protection, while an SPF 50 will give you 50 times.
What 50+ means for consumers
With Australia having the highest melanoma rates in the world, the increase in SPF allowance is a positive move for consumers. The number one pro for SPF 50+ is that we will be able to use the best possible protection against excess sun each and every day. Over our lifetimes, using SPF 50+ will help reduce skin cancer and premature skin ageing,” says Grieve.
Another current issue with sunscreen is that people are constantly under-applying. This means that while they might be applying a 30 SPF, they might be only getting the benefits of a 10 SPF. At a 50 SPF, at least they are getting a 25 or a 20 SPF, so they are getting a little higher level of protection,” says Independent dermatologist Dr Darrell S. Rigel, who worked with Neutrogenaon their Wet Skin launch. scientific and regulatory affairs manager Ken Lee adds, we know that there is a significant difference between the amount of sunscreen consumers actually apply in reality compared to the amount applied when a sunscreen is tested. Thus, availability of 50+ formulations will offer increased protection to consumers.”
The increase in SPF has also led to questions on whether the strength changes mean people are not going to be getting adequate vitamin D, however, Grieve explains that it’s a screen not a block – so some sun will still always be able to penetrate.
What it means for the industry
Change normally brings with it both lovers and haters, however, it seems the 50+ ruling is been widely applauded across the board. The impending introduction of SPF50+ sunscreens is mostly welcomed by industry,” says Lee. It is a category of sunscreens which have been available to consumers globally for many years. The availability of SPF50+ sunscreens will see Australia aligned with its major global trading partners and may be expected to lead to more choice and availability of various sunscreens for Australian consumers.”
Grieve believes the new regulations mean manufacturers will need to re-examine their formulations to ensure they can comply with the new SPF and UVA protection requirements.” Dr Rigel believes the higher SPF will lead to companies developing better sunscreens. With a lower cap, there is not incentive to develop and do research to make a better sunscreen because they won’t get credit for it - so that means raising the cap will make better sunscreens,” he says.
Is it likely to be successful?
With SPF 50+ being successfully launched into countries such as New Zealand, Europe and North America, the same thing is likely to happen in Australia – with SPF50+ sunscreens gradually infiltrating onto people’s daily enjoyment of fun in the sun. At first consumers may be cautious about SPF 50+ sunscreens, but once they realise the daily and lifetime benefits, I think they’ll be enthusiastic about using the best protection for themselves and their families,” concludes Grieve.
What else is there?
While SPF50+ has been dominating most talk on sun care this season, there are other exciting launches also taking place. From innovative formulas to specially designed packaging, here are some of the products that have got the bd dreaming of summer days:
Guinot Large UV Defense High Protection Sun Spray
Milk & Co Dry Touch Sunscreen
Invisible Zinc Sport Clip-On Water Resistant Sunscreen
Hamilton Dry-Touch Sunscreen Spray SPF30+
Banana Boat Ultra Clear Spray Sunscreen
SunSense Anti-Ageing Face Matte SPF 30+
DMK Transdermal Sunblock
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