Most SA sunblock products ‘can’t take the heat’, tests show

Abstract

South African sunscreen manufacturers are hastily reformulating their products following confidential tests commissioned by the National Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) which show that most offer sub-optimal protection. This means that outdoor lovers (especially those in the Western Cape, where the incidence of malignant melanoma has trebled over the past 20 years), will face at least another summer using mostly below-par sunblock creams. Those who don’t know that most locally sold creams don’t offer decent protection beyond two hours of exposure to sunlight, will remain vulnerable.