What is the difference between sunscreen, sunblock, and suntan lotion?
Products marketed as “sunscreen” and “sunblock” contain ingredients that provide at least some degree of protection from sunburn and other damaging effects of the sun’s UV rays. Products marketed as “suntan” or “tanning” lotion, on the other hand, do not contain such ingredients and do not provide any such protection and are intended to be used while acquiring a tan. The FDA has indicated that it intends to ban the term “sunblock” from being used in marketing claims — when the agency eventually finalizes its sunscreen regulations — because it falsely implies that the product is blocking all light from the sun when no product can do this. Similarly, the agency has also indicated that it will require the following warning to be printed on all “suntan” products: “This product does not contain a sunscreen and does not protect against sunburn. Repeated exposure of unprotected skin while tanning may increase the risk of skin aging, skin cancer, and other harmful effects to the skin even if y
