FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The South Florida sun is brutal, and while slathering on sunscreen usually feels like a no-brainer, this summer the rules have changed.

An ingredient that makes European sunscreens more effective has just been approved by the FDA for use in the United States. For the first time in over 25 years, the FDA added bemotrizinol (BEMT) to its list of permitted active ingredients, providing broader protection against both UVB and UVA. However, it may take a while for products containing bemotrizinol to reach store shelves.

In the meantime, Floridians may want to use European sunscreens, which are known to provide better broad-spectrum protection. Because the European Union regulates sunscreens as cosmetics rather than over-the-counter drugs, companies there can innovate and introduce new ingredients much faster than in the U.S. Bemotrizinol has long been used in European and Asian sunscreens. Many formulas with advanced UV filters (like Mexoryl and TriAsorB) aren’t sold in U.S. brick-and-mortar stores, but you can buy them online.

Several years ago, the FDA released studies showing that a common sunscreen chemical in some U.S. brands, oxybenzone, may seep into the bloodstream. And some independent studies found links between chemical sunscreen ingredients and hormone and reproductive function. The FDA has requested that manufacturers conduct more testing.

Florida dermatologists see skin cancer regularly and say sunscreen’s known benefits outweigh any unconfirmed risks. An estimated one in five people in the U.S. will develop skin cancer during their lifetime, and sunscreen is the best protection to prevent it.

In a newsletter, Dr. Michelle Wong, an Australian cosmetic chemist, recommended choosing sunscreens labeled “broad spectrum,” which offer a better balance of UVA/UVB protection. Even if the difference is slight, the higher the SPF, the better, she advises.

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