Sunscreen capsules and pills do not work in protecting consumers against the harmful effects of sun exposure, warned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb himself issued the warning against the products, calling out companies that are misleading consumers by claiming that sunscreen capsules protect people against sunburn.
Sunscreen Capsules Don't Work, FDA Warns
Sunscreen capsules and pills, which supposedly provide protection against sunburn after ingesting them, simply do not work, warned FDA Commissioner Gottlieb.
"There's no pill or capsule that can replace your sunscreen," Gottlieb said in a statement.
According to Gottlieb, these products are "misleading consumers, and putting people at risk." As such, the FDA has sent warning letters to companies that are illegally marketing the sunscreen capsules and pills. The products are labeled as dietary supplements, with unproven claims that they protect consumers from the dangers of sun exposure and without meeting the agency's safety and effectiveness standards.
The statement issued by Gottlieb called out the products, specifically GliSODin's Advanced Skin Brightening Formula, Napa Valley's Sunsafe Rx, Pharmacy Direct's Solaricare, and Sunergized's Sunergetic. The products place the people's health at risk by providing a false sense of security that taking them was enough for protection against the harmful effects of sun exposure, including sunburn, early skin again, and skin cancer.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with one of every five Americans at risk of developing it in their lifetime. This makes the false advertising of sunscreen capsules and pills even more dangerous. Unprotected exposure to the sun and its ultraviolet rays has a direct impact on the risk of developing skin cancer, despite the person's age or type of skin.
In general, consumers are advised to beware of companies that make unproven claims with their products.
Safe Sunscreen Lotions
Consumers may be looking at alternative sun protection products such as sunscreen capsules and pills because of reports that there are some unsafe sunscreen lotions due to reasons such as providing poor protection, containing toxic ingredients, and causing negative effects on sensitive skin. The public image of the product was also affected by the passage of a bill for the Hawaii ban on sunscreen lotions, though the regulation targeted products with specific chemicals that are harmful to coral reefs.
For sunburn prevention and protection against skin damage, Consumer Reports provided a list of the best sunscreens of 2018. It would be much better to choose from those products instead of taking sunscreen capsules and pills that do not work at all as advertised.
