You are pregnant, you enter Babies and more and you read that being pregnant in summer is great, because everything is advantages. Then you read that nothing happens if the sun hits you in the gut, so you dare to go for a little sunbathing, after passing through the pharmacy to buy a good cream.
And of course, you are pregnant, time to take care of yourself more than ever and when money does not matter, health matters. The problem is that you spend a lot of money on a sun cream from the pharmacy and it turns out that, if you had approached the supermarket to take the one from the bookshelf next to the box you would have bought a better, as the OCU explains.
The worst comes when you realize, in addition, that the cream you just paid with the credit card promises a protection that does not comply. You feel more cheated and cheated than ever and realize that, once again, cheap does not always come out expensive, and that you adopt a new phrase in your proverb: expensive is expensive, although it will not always be fulfilled.
Best of the super
This is how the OCU presents its analysis, saying that you can buy the best creams in any supermarket. They have analyzed a total of 15 creams with factor 30, looking at what is the real protection factor, what is the water resistance, photostability, cosmetic properties and how is the labeling, in addition to the price of each.
It is surprising that the three best creams in the comparison can be bought at any supermarket and that the price is two or three times lower than worse creams, sold in pharmacies.
Naming the winners, the OCU believes that the best of the creams analyzed is the "Babaria Solar Milk Aloe Vera SPF 30", which has a price of between € 9.70 and € 11.90, and that is scored with an 88 out of 100, the second is the "Nivea Sun Protects & Bronzes Solar Milk 30 ", priced between € 9.13 and € 13.99, punctuated with an 83, and the third is the"Nivea Sun 30 High Moisturizing Solar Milk, which costs between € 8.49 and € 13.60, with 80 points. The prices of all of them are for 200 ml containers.
And those sold in pharmacies?
In fourth, fifth and sixth positions come three creams that can only be purchased in pharmacies and parapharmacies, brands Avène, Eucerin and Vichy, with prices ranging from € 14.25 to € 27.95, carrying less than the first (score 73, 72 and 64).
Surprised that another of the "pharmacy" creams of the brand La Roche Posay (Anthelios Smooth Lotion SPF30), is in the penultimate position, with a score of 35 and a price between € 20.95 and € 30.20 (per 300 ml), among other things to announce a protection that does not comply. Being really less important to the advertiser users may feel falsely safe and put their skin at risk.
The worst of the analyzed
Another one that does not fulfill what it promises is the cream of Biotherm Lait Solaire SPF30, which is purchased in perfumeries and is priced between € 18.40 and € 31.10 per 130 ml and whose score has been 18, being the worst of all and, in view of the result, nothing advisable.
Labeling and content, more firewood
When assessing the labeling and components of creams, the OCU has realized that many use the term "hypoallergenic", without really being able to ensure that it will not produce allergies, since then they add fragrances at the same time (which can cause reactions), which also add that the cream is "dermatologically tested", which means nothing at all, because there is no rule to regulate it and that "paraben free" does not make it more reliable, because the cream may contain other endocrine disruptors. There are even creams whose labeling is not in Spanish or that makes use of a letter so small that it is practically illegible.
Endocrine disruptors?
Yes, some sunscreens and some preservatives have the ability to mimic the action of estrogens, affecting our hormonal system. In healthy people they may not be too problematic, however they are not recommended in pregnant women or children. The cream Babaria, which is the best cream of the analyzed ones, nevertheless carries propilparaben, a preservative that can have that effect.
More control, more rigor
For all this, for the terrible thing that is that four of the creams do not reach the level of sun protection that mark in the labeling and by the commercial "traps" that offer a false confidence to the consumers, among other things, the OCU asks for more control by the administrations and more rigor in the whole process. The population has been aware for some years that it is necessary to protect themselves from the sun to avoid problems. Now the most important thing is missing, that manufacturers are up to the task and make products that really help us protect ourselves.
And children?
These creams do not carry the subtitle "for children", but as here we talk about pregnant women and also their children, I explain a bit the recommended.
The first thing is to have the schedule controlled, avoiding the hours of sun that go from 12 noon to 16 in the afternoon. If our son is a little boy, say less than a year old, he should also be under an umbrella, but with cream, well the umbrellas let 30% of indirect radiation pass.
If the baby is younger than 6 months, it is usually recommended not to apply cream, due to the risk of allergic reactions. What is recommended in these cases, what I have always done, is to use creams with physical filter. All creams analyzed by the OCU have a chemical filter, which is absorbed through the skin. The physical filter is not absorbed and therefore they are safer for babies. The change from one to another is made towards the year or year and a half, always using creams with high factors.
At 2-3 hours, as advised with anyone, we should go back to cream, although if I go to the beach with a baby, what I would do is take the boats and go home (or at least a shaded area).
UPGRADE: Three of the brands affected by the OCU sunscreen cream analysis deny the results, you can read all about the releases issued by the three brands in this article.
