Drug Info: S: Sunscreen Agents (Topical)

Some commonly used brand names are:

In the U.S.—

In Canada—

• Skin protectant, topical -- AminobenzoicAcid and Titanium Dioxide; Aminobenzoic Acid, Padimate O,and Oxybenzone; Avobenzone and Octyl Methoxycinnamate;Avobenzone, Octocrylene, Octyl Salicylate, and Oxybenzone;Avobenzone, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, and Oxybenzone;Avobenzone, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, andOxybenzone; Dioxybenzone, Oxybenzone, and Padimate O;Homosalate; Homosalate and Oxybenzone; Homosalate, MenthylAnthranilate, and Octyl Methoxycinnamate; Homosalate,Menthyl Anthranilate, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, OctylSalicylate, and Oxybenzone; Homosalate, Octocrylene, OctylMethoxycinnamate, and Oxybenzone; Homosalate, OctylMethoxycinnamate, and Oxybenzone; Homosalate, OctylMethoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, and Oxybenzone;Lisadimate and Padimate O; Lisadimate, Oxybenzone, andPadimate O; Menthyl Anthranilate; Menthyl Anthranilate andOctyl Methoxycinnamate; Menthyl Anthranilate and PadimateO; Menthyl Anthranilate and Titanium Dioxide; MenthylAnthranilate, Octocrylene, and Octyl Methoxycinnamate;Menthyl Anthranilate, Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate,and Oxybenzone ; Menthyl Anthranilate, OctylMethoxycinnamate, and Octyl Salicylate; MenthylAnthranilate, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, and Oxybenzone;Menthyl Anthranilate, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, OctylSalicylate, and Oxybenzone ; Octocrylene and OctylMethoxycinnamate ; Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, andOxybenzone; Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, andTitanium Dioxide; Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate,Octyl Salicylate, and Oxybenzone; Octocrylene, OctylMethoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, Oxybenzone, andTitanium Dioxide; Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate,Oxybenzone, and Titanium Dioxide; Octyl Methoxycinnamate;Octyl Methoxycinnamate and Octyl Salicylate; OctylMethoxycinnamate and Oxybenzone; Octyl Methoxycinnamate andPadimate O; Octyl Methoxycinnamate and Phenylbenzimidazole;Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, and Oxybenzone;Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, and TitaniumDioxide; Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate,Oxybenzone, and Padimate O; Octyl Methoxycinnamate, OctylSalicylate, Oxybenzone, and Titanium Dioxide; OctylMethoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, Oxybenzone, Padimate O,and Titanium Dioxide; Octyl Methoxycinnamate, OctylSalicylate, Oxybenzone, Phenylbenzimidazole, and TitaniumDioxide; Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate,Phenylbenzimidazole, and Titanium Dioxide; OctylMethoxycinnamate, Oxybenzone, and Padimate O; OctylMethoxycinnamate, Oxybenzone, and Titanium Dioxide; OctylMethoxycinnamate, Oxybenzone, Padimate O, and TitaniumDioxide; Octyl Salicylate; Octyl Salicylate and Padimate O;Oxybenzone and Roxadimate; Oxybenzone and Padimate O;Padimate O; Phenylbenzimidazole ; Phenylbenzimidazole andSulisobenzone ; Titanium Dioxide; Titanium Dioxide and ZincOxide; Trolamine Salicylate

Sunscreen agents are used to prevent sunburn. Limitingyour exposure to the sun and using sunscreen agents when inthe sun may help prevent early wrinkling and skin cancer.There are two kinds of sunscreen agents: chemical andphysical. Chemical sunscreen agents protect you from the sunby absorbing the ultraviolet (UV) and visible sun rays, whilephysical sunscreen agents reflect, scatter, absorb, or blockthese rays.

Sunscreen agents often contain more than one ingredient.For example, products may contain one ingredient thatprovides protection against the ultraviolet A (UVA) sun raysand another ingredient that protects you from the ultravioletB (UVB) sun rays, which are more likely to cause sunburn thanthe UVA sun rays. Ideally, coverage should include protectionagainst both UVA and UVB sun rays.

The sun protection factor (SPF) that you find on the labelof these products tells you the minimum amount of UVBsunlight that is needed with that product to produce rednesson sunscreen-protected skin as compared with unprotectedskin. Sunscreen products with high SPFs will provide moreprotection against the sun.

Sunscreen agents are available in the following dosageforms:

• Topical
• Aminobenzoic Acid, Padimate O, and Oxybenzonecombination
  • Lotion (Canada)
• Aminobenzoic Acid and Titanium Dioxide combination
  • Cream (U.S.)
• Avobenzone, Octocrylene, Octyl Salicylate, andOxybenzone combination
  • Lotion (Canada)
• Avobenzone and Octyl Methoxycinnamate combination
  • Lotion (Canada)
• Avobenzone, Octyl methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate,and Oxybenzone combination
  • Cream (Canada)
  • Gel (Canada)
• Avobenzone, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, and Oxybenzonecombination
  • Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
  • Spray (Canada)
• Dioxybenzone, Oxybenzone, and Padimate O combination
  • Cream (U.S.)
• Homosalate
  • Lotion (U.S.)
  • Oil (U.S. and Canada)
  • Spray (U.S.)
• Homosalate, Menthyl Anthranilate, and OctylMethoxycinnamate combination
  • Oil (U.S.)
• Homosalate, Menthyl Anthranilate, OctylMethoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, and Oxybenzonecombination
  • Lip Balm (U.S. and Canada)
  • Lotion (U.S.)
• Homosalate, Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, andOxybenzone combination
  • Lotion (Canada)
• Homosalate, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate,and Oxybenzone combination
  • Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
  • Stick (U.S.)
• Homosalate, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, and Oxybenzonecombination
  • Gel (U.S.)
• Homosalate and Oxybenzone combination
  • Spray (U.S.)
• Lisadimate, Oxybenzone, and Padimate O combination
  • Lotion (U.S.)
• Lisadimate and Padimate O combination
  • Lotion (U.S.)
• Menthyl Anthranilate
  • Cream (U.S.)
• Menthyl Anthranilate, Octocrylene, and OctylMethoxycinnamate combination
  • Cream (U.S.)
• Menthyl Anthranilate, Octocrylene, OctylMethoxycinnamate, and Oxybenzone combination
  • Gel (U.S.)
• Menthyl Anthranilate and Octyl Methoxycinnamatecombination
  • Cream (U.S.)
  • Lotion (U.S.)
• Menthyl Anthranilate, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, and OctylSalicylate combination
  • Cream (U.S.)
• Menthyl Anthranilate, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, OctylSalicylate, and Oxybenzone combination
  • Lotion (U.S.)
• Menthyl Anthranilate, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, andOxybenzone combination
  • Gel (U.S.)
  • Lip Balm (U.S.)
  • Lotion (U.S.)
• Menthyl Anthranilate and Padimate O combination
  • Lip Balm (Canada)
• Menthyl Anthranilate and Titanium Dioxide combination
  • Cream (U.S.)
• Octocrylene and Octyl Methoxycinnamate combination
  • Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
• Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate,and Oxybenzone combination
  • Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
• Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate,Oxybenzone, and Titanium Dioxide combination
  • Lotion (U.S.)
• Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, and Oxybenzonecombination
  • Cream (U.S.)
  • Gel (U.S.)
  • Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
• Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Oxybenzone, andTitanium Dioxide combination
  • Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
• Octocrylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, and TitaniumDioxide combination
  • Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
• Octyl Methoxycinnamate
  • Gel (Canada)
  • Lotion (U.S.)
• Octyl Methoxycinnamate and Octyl Salicylate combination
  • Gel (U.S. and Canada)
  • Lotion (U.S.)
  • Oil (U.S.)
• Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, andOxybenzone combination
  • Cream (U.S. and Canada)
  • Gel (U.S.)
  • Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
  • Spray (U.S.)
  • Stick (U.S.)
• Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, Oxybenzone,and Padimate O combination
  • Lotion (Canada)
  • Spray (U.S.)
• Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, Oxybenzone,Padimate O, and Titanium Dioxide combination
  • Lotion (U.S.)
• Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, Oxybenzone,Phenylbenzimidazole, and Titanium Dioxide combination
  • Lotion (U.S.)
• Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, Oxybenzone,and Titanium Dioxide combination
  • Cream (Canada)
  • Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
• Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate,Phenylbenzimidazole, and Titanium Dioxide combination
  • Lotion (U.S.)
• Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, and TitaniumDioxide combination
  • Lotion (U.S.)
• Octyl Methoxycinnamate and Oxybenzone combination
  • Cream (U.S.)
  • Gel (U.S.)
  • Lip Balm (U.S. and Canada)
  • Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
  • Stick (U.S. and Canada)
• Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Oxybenzone, and Padimate Ocombination
  • Lotion (U.S.)
• Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Oxybenzone, Padimate O, andTitanium Dioxide combination
  • Stick (Canada)
• Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Oxybenzone, and TitaniumDioxide combination
  • Lotion (U.S.)
• Octyl Methoxycinnamate and Padimate O combination
  • Oil (U.S.)
• Octyl Methoxycinnamate and Phenylbenzimidazolecombination
  • Cream (U.S.)
  • Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
• Octyl Salicylate
  • Spray (U.S.)
• Octyl Salicylate and Padimate O combination
  • Lotion (U.S.)
• Oxybenzone and Padimate O combination
  • Cream (Canada)
  • Lip Balm (U.S. and Canada)
  • Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
  • Oil (U.S. and Canada)
  • Stick (U.S.)
• Oxybenzone and Roxadimate combination
  • Cream (Canada)
  • Lotion (Canada)
• Padimate O
  • Lip Balm (U.S. and Canada)
  • Lotion (U.S.)
  • Oil (U.S.)
• Phenylbenzimidazole
  • Gel (U.S.)
  • Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
• Phenylbenzimidazole and Sulisobenzone combination
  • Gel (U.S.)
• Titanium Dioxide
  • Lotion (U.S.)
• Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide combination
  • Lotion (U.S. and Canada)
• Trolamine Salicylate
  • Oil (U.S.)

If you are using this medicine without a prescription,carefully read and follow any precautions on the label. Forsunscreen agents, the following should be considered:

Allergies—Tell your doctor if you haveever had any unusual or allergic reaction to any of thesunscreen agents. Also tell your health care professional ifyou are allergic to artificial sweeteners (e.g., saccharin[Sweet and Low]); anesthetics (e.g., benzocaine [Americaine],procaine [Novocaine], tetracaine [Pontocaine]); oralantidiabetics (diabetes medicine you take by mouth); hairdyes containing aniline or paraphenylenediamine; sulfamedicines; thiazide diuretics (a certain type of water pill);cinnamon derivatives used in flavorings, medicines, perfumes,or toothpastes; or to any other substances, such as foods orpreservatives.

Pregnancy—Studies on effects inpregnancy have not been done in either humans or animals.

Breast-feeding—Sunscreen agents havenot been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.

Children—Infants under 6 months of ageshould be kept out of the sun. Sunscreen agents should not beused on infants under 6 months of age because of increasedchance of side effects. Children 6 months of age and oldershould be kept out of the sun or have limited exposure to thesun. Sunscreen agents with a sun protection factor (SPF) ofat least 15 should be applied during exposure to the sun.Lotion sunscreen products are preferred for use in children.Alcohol-based sunscreen products should be avoided becausethey can cause irritation.

Older adults—It is believed that theelderly, who spend little time in the sun and use sunscreenagents frequently, may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency(which may result in bone disease and fracture), althoughthis has not been proven. To help you get enough vitamin D,it is recommended that you eat food rich in vitamin D, suchas fortified milk or fatty fish. Your doctor may also adviseyou to take vitamin D supplements. Check with your doctorabout this.

Other medicines—Although certainmedicines and products should not be used together at all, inother cases two different medicines or products may be usedtogether even if an interaction may occur. In these cases,your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautionsmay be necessary. Tell your health care professional if youare using any prescription or nonprescription(over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine or other product that is tobe applied to the same area of the skin.

• Skin conditions or diseases, especially those caused orworsened by exposure to light—Worsening of skincondition may occur

Sunscreen agents are for external use only. These productsusually come with patient directions. Read them carefullybefore using any product.

In choosing the sunscreen product, you may consider thefollowing:

• Type of Activity—Take precautions when you arein places of higher elevations (mountains) or on reflectivesurfaces (concrete, sand, snow, or water), as these mayincrease the likelihood of sun damage to the skin. Use asunscreen with ultraviolet A/ultraviolet B (UVA/UVB)coverage and with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 orhigher. Activities that make you sweat, such as outdoorjobs (gardeners, construction workers), outdoor sports(tennis) or exercise, prolonged sunbathing, or watersportssuch as swimming, waterskiing, or windsurfing, may resultin the removal of the sunscreen agent from the skin. Use awater-resistant or waterproof sunscreen agent with SPF of15 or more. When possible, also wear a hat, long-sleevedshirt, long pants, and UV-opaque sunglasses. WearingUV-opaque sunglasses when you are in the sun is alsonecessary because the sun rays can cause cataracts.
• Age—Do not use sunscreen agents on infantsless than 6 months of age. For children 6 months of age andolder, use a lotion form of sunscreen with SPF of 15 orhigher. Avoid using alcohol-based sunscreen products forthis age group.
• Site of application—For the ear and nose, usea physical sunscreen agent. For the lips, use a gel-basedlip sunscreen or lip balm.
• Skin condition—If your skin is dry, use acream or lotion form of sunscreen agent. If your skin isoily, use an alcohol or gel-based sunscreen. Avoid usingalcohol-based sunscreens on eczematous or inflamedskin.

Before every exposure to the sun, apply an appropriatesunscreen product that protects you against ultraviolet sunrays. For maximum sun protection, sunscreens should beapplied uniformly and thickly to all exposed skin surfaces(including the lips, using lip sunscreen or lip balm).Sunscreen products containing aminobenzoic acid, lisadimate,padimate O, or roxadimate should be applied 1 to 2 hoursbefore sun exposure. Other sunscreen products should beapplied 30 minutes before sun exposure, unless otherwisedirected by the package instructions. Lip sunscreens shouldbe applied 45 to 60 minutes before sun exposure.

Because most sunscreens are easily removed from the skin,you should reapply these products liberally every 1 to 2hours for adequate protection. You should reapply sunscreenespecially after swimming or heavy perspiration. Lipsunscreens should be reapplied liberally at least once everyhour while you are in the sun and also before and afterswimming, after eating and drinking, and during otheractivities that remove it from the lips.

Keep sunscreen products away from the eyes.

Some sunscreen agents contain alcohol and are flammable. Do not use near heat, nearopen flame, or while smoking.

Dosing—

Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on thelabel. The following information includes only theaverage dose of sunscreen agents.

• For topical dosage forms (cream, gel, lotion, lip balm,oil, spray, and stick):
  • For sunburn (prevention):
    • Adults and children 6 months of age andolder—Apply liberally and evenly to exposedarea(s) of skin (including the lips, using lipsunscreen or lip balm) before sun exposure. Reapplywhen needed.
    • Children under 6 months of age—Use is notrecommended.

Storage—

To store this product:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Keep the product from freezing. Do notrefrigerate.
• Do not keep outdated sunscreen product no longerneeded. Be sure that any discarded sunscreen product is outof the reach of children.

If rash or irritation develops, stop using the sunscreenand check with your doctor.

Sunscreen agents containing aminobenzoic acid, lisadimate,padimate O, or roxadimate may discolor and stainlight-colored fabrics yellow.

In addition to using sunscreen agents, it is advisable tominimize exposure to the sun from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daylight savingstime) when the sun is at its strongest. Take extraprecautions also on cloudy or overcast days and aroundreflective surfaces such as concrete, sand, snow, or water,since these surfaces can reflect the sun's damaging rays.Wear protective clothing including a hat, long-sleeved shirt,and long pants. Sunglasses also should be worn to avoid sundamage to the eyes (cataract formation). Avoid sunlamps andtanning parlors because these can damage the skin and eyes asdirect sunlight can.

Along with its needed effects, sunscreen products maycause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these sideeffects may occur, if they do occur they may need medicalattention.

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of thefollowing side effects occur:

• Rare
  • Acne; burning, itching, or stinging of skin; earlyappearance of redness or swelling of skin; lateappearance of rash with or without weeping blistersthat become crusted, especially in sun-exposed areas,and may extend to unexposed areas of skin; pain inhairy areas; pus in the hair follicles
  
  

Other side effects may occur that usually do not needmedical attention. These side effects may go away duringtreatment as your body adjusts to the product. However, checkwith your doctor if any of the following side effectscontinue or are bothersome:

• More common
  • Drying or tightening of skin
  
  

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in somepatients. If you notice any other effects, check with yourdoctor.