Unless you’ve been under a rock (hopefully in an effort to avoid the sun), you’ve likely heard the ruckus over the new sunscreen FDA regulations, that were suppose to take effect this summer. The idea was to make it easier for consumers to pick the best product to protect themselves from skin cancer and skin damage. But just as the summer was about to start, the FDA announced it was delaying the new requirements until December.

“After we published all these requirements, we received data showing that manufacturers wouldn’t be able to fully implement all the requirements until December of this year for most products,” says the FDA’s Reynold Tan.

The new requirements include:

• Only sunscreens that protect against both ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet A (UVA) light could be labeled “broad spectrum,” which means they provide the best protection against skin cancer.
• Sunscreens that don’t have SPF of at least 15 would have to have big warning labels that say they don’t protect against skin cancer or “premature skin aging.”
• Terms like “sunblock,” “waterproof” and “sweat-proof” would be banned. Sunscreens would be permitted to claim that they are “water-resistant” but would have to specify how long they work — either 40 or 80 minutes.

For now, consumers will just have to try to do their best. Some sunscreens that meet the new guidelines, are starting to show up on store shelves. But consumers have to look very carefully to figure that out.

“Make sure that the broad spectrum term appears right next to the SPF number, either directly to the left of it, or right on top of it. And it has to be in the same font, meaning it has to be in the same type size, same color, generally the same appearance as the SPF number,” Tan says.

Below is a list of SPF products tested under the new FDA regulations that are now available at SkinMedix!

• SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 
• SkinCeuticals Sheer Physical UV Defense SPF 50 
• Dermalogica Solar Defense Booster SPF 50
• Dr. Dennis Gross Powerful Sun Protection SPF 45 Cream
• SkinMedica Environmental Defense Sunscreen SPF 30
• Neocutis Journee Bio Restorative Day Cream with PSP SPF 30+
  
• Pro+Therapy MD Advanced Ultra Light Day Repair SPF 30
• iS Clinical Extreme Protect SPF 30
• PCA Skin Perfecting Protection SPF 30
• Dermalogica Oil Free Matte SPF 30
• PRIORI CoffeeBerry Natural Daily Protection SPF 25
• NeoStrata Bionic Skin Lightening Cream SPF 15

For a more in-depth look at the new sunscreen regulations, visit www.fda.gov/sunscreen. In the mean time, check out this video below as New York dermatologist and editor of Clinics in Dermatology, Dr. Gervaise Gerstner, explains the new SPF FDA Regulations.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfkPgeHuP-Y]