Editing Sunscreen (section)

==== SPF equivalence ====
[[File:UVA logo.svg|thumb | upright=0.5 | The UVA seal used in the [[European Union|EU]] ]]
[[File:SPF15SunBlock.JPG|thumb|upright| A tube of SPF 15 sun lotion]]
As part of revised guidelines for sunscreens in the EU, there is a requirement to provide the consumer with a minimum level of UVA protection in relation to the SPF. This should be a UVA protection factor of at least 1/3 of the SPF to carry the UVA seal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cosmeticseurope.eu/using-cosmetics-colipa-the-european-cosmetic-cosmetics-association/sun-products/the-european-commission-recommendation-on-the-efficacy-of-sunscreen-products.html|title=www.cosmeticseurope.eu|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826114843/https://www.cosmeticseurope.eu/using-cosmetics-colipa-the-european-cosmetic-cosmetics-association/sun-products/the-european-commission-recommendation-on-the-efficacy-of-sunscreen-products.html|archive-date=August 26, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The 1/3 threshold derives from the European Commission recommendation 2006/647/EC.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cosmetics Europe |date=February 2009 |title=N° 23 IMPORTANT USAGE AND LABELLING INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUN PROTECTION PRODUCTS |url=https://www.cosmeticseurope.eu/files/9814/6408/4022/CR-23-Sunscreens_Labelling.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220305123301/https://www.cosmeticseurope.eu/files/9814/6408/4022/CR-23-Sunscreens_Labelling.pdf |archive-date=2022-03-05 |access-date=2022-06-27}}</ref> This Commission recommendation specifies that the UVA protection factor should be measured using the PPD method as modified by the French health agency [[Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament et des produits de santé|AFSSAPS (now ANSM)]] "or an equivalent degree of protection obtained with any in vitro method".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-09-26 |title=Commission Recommendation of 22 September 2006 on the efficacy of sunscreen products and the claims made relating thereto (notified under document number C(2006) 4089) (Text with EEA relevance) |url=http://data.europa.eu/eli/reco/2006/647/oj/eng |language=en}}</ref>

A set of final US FDA rules effective from summer 2012 defines the phrase "broad spectrum" as providing UVA protection proportional to the UVB protection, using a standardized testing method.<ref name="fda2011" />