Only 550 out of 2,784 sunscreen products on the market met rigorous safety and efficacy standards this year. That number comes from the Environmental Working Group, which rates SPF products across five categories related to ingredient safety and how well the product actually blocks the sun.
According to a report by Healthline, the EWG evaluates sunscreens based on health hazards, UVB protection, UVA protection, the balance between UVA and UVB protection, and sunscreen stability, meaning how quickly the active ingredients break down when exposed to sunlight. Only about 20% of products cleared all five criteria.
One factor behind the low pass rate is the age of the ingredients most American sunscreens rely on. There have been no fully approved new UV-blocking ingredients for sunscreen in the United States since 1999. For 27 years, Americans have used older chemical filters while products using newer, potentially more effective ingredients have become standard in Europe and Asia.
Dermatologist Tanya Evans, medical director of the Skin Cancer Program at the Melanoma Clinic at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, California, said the report raises real concerns but should not push people away from sunscreen entirely. Evans was not involved in the EWG report.
"Sunscreen is still one of the most effective tools we have to reduce sunburn, photoaging, and skin cancer risk, including melanoma. The main message should not be to avoid sunscreen, but instead to choose and use sunscreen wisely," she told Healthline.
A key distinction in the report involves the difference between mineral and chemical sunscreens. Cosmetic surgeon and skin cancer specialist Paul Banwell explained how the two types work differently on the skin. Banwell was also not involved in the report.
"Mineral sunscreens usually contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide and sit on the skin to physically reflect UV rays away, whereas chemical sunscreens absorb UV radiation and convert it into heat," Banwell told Healthline.
He added that neither type is automatically better than the other. "Neither is automatically 'good' or 'bad' and both can be effective, but certain skin types may tolerate one better than the other. In my clinic, particularly after procedures like laser resurfacing, peels, or surgery, I will often recommend mineral sunscreens because they tend to be gentler on healing or more reactive skin," he said.
Evans agreed that the choice of sunscreen matters less than consistent use. Experts recommend broad-spectrum products rated SPF 30 to 50, applied properly and reapplied regularly, as the foundation of effective sun protection. Sunscreen, they note, should also be part of a broader approach that includes other protective measures rather than the only line of defense against UV exposure.
