From UV protection to protection in the whole spectral range of the solar radiation: New aspects of sunscreen development

Abstract

Sunscreens have been constantly improving in the past few years. Today, they provide an efficient protection not only in the UVB but also in the UVA spectral region of the solar radiation. Recently it could be demonstrated that 50% of all free radicals induced in the skin due to solar radiation are formed in the visible and infrared spectral region. The good protective efficacy of sunscreens in the UV region prompts people to stay much longer in the sun than if they had left their skin unprotected. However, as no protection in the visible and infrared spectral region is provided, high amounts of free radicals are induced here that could easily exceed the critical radical concentration. This chapter describes how the effect of sunscreens can be extended to cover also the visible and infrared spectral region of the solar radiation by adding pigments and antioxidants with high radical protection factors to the sunscreen formulations.