Science Fair
 
 
Is sun block lotion as effective as suntan lotion in identical SPF numbers and does price make a difference in good sun protection? Abstract Is sunblock lotion as effective as suntan lotion in identical SPF numbers and does price makes a difference in good sun protection? I hypothesize that sunblock will be more effective than suntan lotion, and cost will not make much difference in sun protection. I claim this because standard FDA SPF guidelines are universal for all brand and product types. I will conduct careful experiments where I place equal amounts of various products over Sunprint photographic paper to determine effectiveness (degree of protection) with cost per ounce and type (sunblock, suntan, oils, etc). UV indexes (sun strength) determine how much UV rays (a cause of melanoma) penetrate the ozone layer in specific seasonal geographic locations. SPF numbers establish levels of product sun protection. Importantly, when applying an SPF 15, for example, one can remain in the sun 15 times, 150 minutes, longer than a non-product using person with the same skin type before damage occurs. Critically, after 150 minutes are up, one cannot reapply the product and expect protection for another 150 minutes. SPF numbers provide people with a general idea of how long skin can withstand direct sun exposure. Surprisingly, my results show sunless tanning products in SPF 15 as more effective than SPF 15 sunblocks. In the SPF 4 category, suntan lotions were also more effective than those labeled as sunblock. The most expensive brand, Beyond Coastal, provided the best sun protection in both SPF 30 and SPF 15 categories. The expensive brands overall out performed the less expensive ones, however some also did well. The consumer should stay away from oils as they provide little or no protection in any SPF category. Sweat proof and sport brands should sink into the skin completely before doing any activity. Statement of the problem I am attempting to solve a problem concerning which type of sunscreen, identical SPF tanning lotion vs. block, is most effective in protecting ones skin from the harmful burning rays of the sun. I will test multiple costs and types of suntan lotions and sunblocks to see which is the most effective for skin protection. By testing my hypothesis for accurate skin care protection, I am hoping I will be able to keep skin cancer off of as many bodies as I can so that people will know how to best protect themselves against developing melanoma. I am going to test my hypothesis by setting up a basic experiment. Through multiple tests I will spread equal amounts of suntan lotion and sunblock onto an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of Sunprint photo paper, and expose it to the midday sun for approximately five minutes. I will quickly develop the print by running under cold water to set the data. I will record the data to test if a SPF sunblock with a number 15, for example, is as effective as a suntan lotion with the same SPF number 15. I will repeat the test using lotion with identical SPFs but different price ranges, and follow with sunblocks in the same manner. In order to keep this test fair, I will control the amount of lotion/block placed on the paper, the developing time, the time of day, the location of the paper in the sun, and the development of the Sunprint photographic paper. Review of literature See link above Hypothesis The higher the SPF number for sunblock and suntan lotions, the more the sun is going to be reflected and the greater the skin protection. My hypothesis is that sun block lotion will be more effective in blocking the harmful effects of the sun than sun tan lotion with an equal SPF numbers. When it come to cost, I do not think that cost will make a difference in sun protection. I think this because when reading about how the FDA oversees the manufacture of the sun care products, it seems that SPF guidelines are universal for all types of brands and products. Materials List * 8 1/2 x 11" pieces of Sunprint photographic paper * Masking tape * Clear plastic folders * Black Sharpie marking pen * Different brands of sunblock with the same spf * Different types of suntan lotions/oils with the same spf * Notepad * Stopwatch with 0.1 sec accuracy * Pan with ice cold water Procedure 1. Gather all materials. 2. Take one piece of 8 1/2x11" Sunprint photographic paper and divide the top sheet of the report folder into four equal parts. Position the the pieces of tape so that one goes down and one goes across the center of the folder. 3. With a Sharpie pen number and label each of the four sections according to what brand will be used there. 4. Assign a number to each brand of lotion and record it in a data table. 5. Using index finger, spread 5 ml. of equal amounts of sunblock or lotion/oil onto the corresponding numbered section. Wash hands after each application. 7. In a semi-darkened room, remove a sheet of developing paper from its protective envelope. Close the container tightly to protect remaining Sunprint sheets. 8. Raise the lotion-coated plastic and place the sheet of developing paper, blue side up, inside the folder. 9. Close the folder and set it, lotion side up, outside in the direct sun for 5 minutes at midday. Use the same location for all tests. 10. After 5 minutes, return the folder to the darkened room. 11. Immediately submerge the paper in a tub of cold water to set the image. 12. Allow the paper to dry. 13. Observe the degree of coloration on each section of the paper. Record results in a data table. 14. Repeat the complete procedure two or three time (50-75 applications). Data  Summary Statement SUMMARY GRAPH #1 (SPF 4). The majority of sun care products on the market labeled SPF 4 name themselves a tanning product rather than a sun block/sun screen product. The only product labeled sun block, Coppertone Sunscreen SPF 4, did not protect against the sun as well as CVS SunTan lotion or Hawaiian Tropic Tanning Lotion. However, Coppertone Sunscreen SPF 4 performed a bit better than Banana Boat Tanning Lotion SPF 4 and much better than Banana Boat Tanning Oil which finished last. It appears that labeling the product tanning or block/screen does not tell the consumer which will protect the skin better. The CVS brand in SPF 4 seems to be the most cost effective while providing the best protection against the harmful UV rays. In this test category, however, the most expensive brand, Hawaiian Tropic Tanning Lotion still did comparatively well against the rest, yet the fairly expensive Banana Boat Oil did very poorly. The oils seem to provide little or no sun protection. SUMMARY GRAPH #2 (SPF 15). In the SPF 15 Category overall, the more expensive products were more effective in blocking UV rays than the less expensive products I used. The most expensive product, Beyond Coastal, was very effective compared to the others. Interestingly, the two self-tanning products I used were more effective in sun protection than all but one product. In fact, it was very close behind the best result and very good in the sun protection category. Unfortunately, these products were among the most expensive. However, the Walgreens brand did very well with only a fraction of the cost. One reason why the Neutrogena Block may not have done as well could be due to the fact that this bottle was over six months old and appeared watery compared to the other Neutrogena brand. The oil product again scored poorly compared to the rest. Although a generous amount of oil was used, this product may perform better if it was to soak into ones skin for long period of time. But, since sun products are likely to get rubbed or washed off, oil may not be a good choice for sun protection. SUMMARY GRAPH #3 (SPF 30). The more expensive brands consistently performed better than most of their cheaper counterparts. However, some of the cheaper brands did respectively well. Unfortunately, no one brand did equally well across SPF categories. For example, the CVS brand performed well at SPF 4, moderately well at SPF 15, and poorly at SPF 30. Walgreens performed above average at both SPF 15 and SPF 30, scoring higher than the CVS brand. The oils and the sweatproof products did poorly for sun protection. It may be that both products need to soak into the skin for a significant amount of time before they are effective in sun protection. Conclusion Is sunblock lotion as effective as suntan lotion in identical SPF numbers and does price makes a difference in good sun protection? I hypothesized that sunblock would be more effective than suntan lotion, and cost would not make much difference in sun protection. I claim this because standard FDA SPF guidelines are universal for all brand and product types. I conducted careful experiments where I placed equal amounts of various products over Sunprint photographic paper to determine effectiveness (degree of protection) with cost per ounce and type (sunblock, suntan, oils, etc). I began my test by purchasing Sunprint photographic paper through an internet photography specialty store. I spread sunblock or suntan lotion/oil in equal amounts on divided and labeled parts of the clear overlay folder. I then placed the Sunprint paper inside of the folder, exposure side up, and placed the paper in the midday sun for 5 minutes. When the time was up, I very quickly set the image in cold water, and recorded the results. The portions of the paper with sunblock or suntan lotions/oil on them were progressively protected from the full effects of the sun according to what SPF number was used. The independent variables were the type and cost of the sunblock and suntan lotions, the dependent variable was the effectiveness of the sunblock/suntan lotions compared with cost per ounce. I claimed that sunblock lotion would be more effective than suntan lotion with equal SPF numbers. I also believed that cost would not be factor in determining the effectiveness of the product. My evidence suggests otherwise. My data does not support the conclusion that sunblock lotion is more effective than suntan lotion for skin protection. As for cost, I was also surprised that cost did make a difference in several brands of sunblock lotion. The more expensive brand, Beyond Coastal at $4.50 per ounce did much better than inexpensive brands in the SPF 15 and SPF 30 categories. However, while the inexpensive CVS sunblock did poorly in SPF 30, it performed very well as a suntan lotion (.45 per ounce) in the SPF 4 category. Interestingly, the more expensive CVS Bronze Self-Tanner ($1.56 per ounce) out protected all but Beyond Coastal in the SPF 15 category, even superior over the sunblock or sport block labeled products. Overall, the Walgreens products did comparatively well for an inexpensive brand. The oils in any category showed little or no sun protection in any category. The sport and sweatproof brands also showed disappointing results. One reason the more expensive brands did well could be because these products add vitamins, aloe, and herbs which may enhance sun protection ingredients or may prime the skin so that it is more likely to absorb the lotion more fully. The oils and the sport brands did poorly which may be because these types of products need a significant amount of time to sink into the skin completely before they are effective. This could signal trouble if the user is very active and does not wait the proper amount of time for the product fully penetrate the skin. In conclusion, consumers should avoid oils as they provide little or no sun protection; sport and sweat proof brands should be used patiently, and it may be in ones best interest to invest a bit more in sun care products although a few cheap brands will also do the trick. It may be best to buy small quantities of more expensive brands so that they are not allowed to age too long. For future tests, it would be very interesting to test product age and effectiveness since some of my older products (six months and older) did not perform as well as expected. Also, I would like to test whether the best performer in category SPF 15, for example, actually provides better sun protection than the worst performer in SPF 30. A manufacturing question could answer how this could be possible if all products use the same FDA labeling guidelines. Skin type and age of products may be the wild cards in this project.