Sunscreen Trends in Dermatology: SPF, Ingredient Safety, and Skin of Color

Dr Zoe Diana Draelos discusses key sunscreen trends shaping dermatology practice, including SPF selection, water resistance, broad-spectrum protection, and evolving concerns around ingredient safety and AI-driven product rating apps. Learn practical sunscreen recommendations for sensitive skin and skin of color, including the growing role of iron oxide–containing formulations for visible light protection.

Transcript:

Hello, my name is Zoe Diana Draelos, and I'm a board-certified clinical and research dermatologist.

What emerging sunscreen technologies or formulations are most likely to impact how dermatologists recommend photoprotection in clinical practice?

Dr Draelos: I think there are three important considerations that the dermatologist needs to look at when recommending sunscreen. The first is obviously SPF. The sun protection factor is very important, and of course it should be greater than 30 and as high as possible because no patient applies an adequate amount of sunscreen to achieve the labeled SPF.

The second thing to look for is water resistance. That's important even if the person isn't using the sunscreen outdoors because what water-resistant means is that sebum, sweat, don't migrate, discontinuous areas within the sunscreen film. And the third important thing to look for is broad-spectrum. It must have both UVB and UVA photo protection. So these are the areas that the dermatologist focuses on when they're looking at a sunscreen.

How are evolving concerns around ingredients, safety, and environmental impact influencing sunscreen development and patient counseling?

Dr Draelos: Whereas dermatologists look at the SPF, they look at whether it's water resistant, they look at whether the product is broad-spectrum, patients don't do that. We look at the ingredient label on the back with some forethought, but what patients are doing is shooting that label with their phone and the barcode, and voila, using an app, and it tells them whether the product is good or bad. There are many of these apps on the marketplace, and patients are resorting to these, but these are AI-driven. And remember that AI has to have an algorithm, and it will follow that algorithm whether it's right or wrong. For example, sunscreens that contain BHT are said to be bad. Why? Well, BHT is a preservative and all preservatives are bad. That is one of the central tenets in these AI programming algorithms. But BHT is actually found in every bag of bread that you buy in a supermarket and pull off the shelf because BHT is a very important food preservative. And sunscreens need preservatives too because they sit on the shelf for at least a year until their expiration date has passed. Patients are now using apps that are AI-driven that don't have the same forethought that dermatologists do to look at their sunscreens, and that can be a real problem. So the dermatologist has to figure out how to bridge what the app is telling them with this AI algorithm versus what the logical evaluation parameters are that we learn as dermatologists in our training.

What practical guidance can you offer clinicians when selecting sunscreens for diverse patient populations, including those with sensitive skin or skin of color?

Dr Draelos: One of the biggest advances in sunscreen has been the development of sunscreens that contain minerals, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, that are suitable for skin of color that don't leave a white film. And the secret behind these new sunscreens is blendable pigments. And the most important pigment of those is iron oxide. Iron oxide is the basis for all facial foundations. Iron oxide is an excellent photoprotectant against visible light. So by adding iron oxide and combining the yellows of iron oxide, the browns of iron oxide, the blacks of iron oxide, and very carefully mixing these pigments, you can achieve better photoprotection for skin of color by preventing hyperpigmentation from visible light and also get a much more aesthetically pleasing appearance as the sunscreen blends right into the skin color.

Are there any tips or insights you would like to share with dermatologists regarding sunscreen trends?

Dr Draelos: Dermatologists should be very aware of the apps that are used to evaluate products, especially sunscreens. And there's things like Think Dirty or Yuka. Go to one of those apps, look to see what your patients are seeing, and then better understand how you can more accurately and more adequately address their concerns.