Rising summer temperatures a beach season in full swing has consumers stocking up on sunscreen, which is no easy matter.

There is a vast variety of three digit sun protection factors i.e. SPF sprays and lotions on store shelves. While, some offer protection against sunburn, they do not prevent skin damage in the long term. There are those sunscreen products, recent research has found to be less effective than their manufacturers’ claims, rather they have been found to be potentially dangerous.

Medical experts fear the claims of such high level protection may lull consumers into a false sense of security, or fears about safety may see them forgoing sunscreens entirely.

However, Dr. Ali Hendi, a board certified dermatologist and skin cancer expert stresses any protection is better than none.

SPF is a measure of protection against UVB rays that cause the skin to burn. Without protection, ten minutes of exposure can cause the skin to burn, and an SPF 30 offers skin protection of approximately 300 minutes. However, as sunscreen tends to rub off, protection could be shorter lived.

The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit public health advocacy group releasing its study last month, recommended only 8% of 500 sunscreen products evaluated for effectiveness and safety.

Every year, there are over one million cancer cases diagnosed and over 11,000 skin cancer related deaths, with UV radiation, mostly from the sun the biggest cause of the disease, according the American Cancer Society.

The cancer rate, including concerns about ingredients and labelling have prompted calls for the development of better rules for governing the sunscreen industry.

Currently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates sunscreens as an over-the-counter drug, covering ingredients, doses, formulas and labelling. New testing and labelling rules regarding UVA protection are expected to receive approval in October; with manufacturers given a year to comply with the new rules.