Abstract

SUNSCREEN : A REVIEW

^*Satyajit Sahoo, Sohan Patel, Prasanna Kumar Pradhan, Mukesh Patel, D B Meshram

*Pioneer Pharmacy College, Vadodara, Gujarat, India - 390019

ABSTRACT

Now-a-days sunscreens have gained tremendous demand. Although the major concerns affecting the human skin is the long-term exposure to ultra-violet radiations (UVR) causing photo-damage and skin cancers. Sun screening agents have shown beneficiary effects on the skin by reducing the exposure of UVR and its associated symptoms. Moreover, various constituents have been recognized to have sun protecting activity, their safety and efficacy is still a concern. The United States Food and Drugs Administration (USFDA) and European Guidelines (EU) guidelines have made the sun protecting factor (SPF) and other such indices compulsory on the labels of such formulas to guide the consumers for better selection. The various ranges of radiations and skin types influence the mechanism of photoreaction as well as the choice of the formulation. Apart from existing agents, certain novel sun-screening agents and technologies are now available to provide better protection to human beings.

Keywords: Ultra-Violet Radiations, Sunscreens, sun protecting factor, photoprotection