Lourenco, EAJ, Shaw, L, Pratt, H, Duffy, GL, Czanner, G, Zheng, Y, Hamill, KJ and McCormick, AG (2019) Application of SPF moisturisers is inferior to sunscreens in coverage of facial and eyelid regions. PLoS One, 14 (4). ISSN 1932-6203

Preview

Text Application of SPF moisturisers is inferior to sunscreens in coverage of facial and eyelid regions.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (967kB) | Preview

Abstract

Many moisturisers contain sun protection factors (SPF) equivalent to those found in sunscreens. However, there is a lack of research into how SPF moisturiser application compares to sunscreens in terms of coverage achieved and protection afforded. Previously we demonstrated that users incompletely covered their eyelid regions during routine sunscreen application. Here, we aimed to determine if SPF moisturiser users also displayed these tendencies. A study population of 84 participants (22 males, 62 females, age 18–57) were exposed to UV radiation and photographed using a tripod mounted UV sensitive DSLR camera on two separate visits. At visit one, images were acquired before and after applying either SPF30 sunscreen or moisturiser, then at visit two the study was repeated with the other formulation. Images were processed for facial landmark identification followed by segmentation mapping of hue saturation values to identify areas of the face that were/were not covered. Analyses revealed that application of moisturiser was significantly worse than sunscreen in terms area of the whole face missed (11.1% missed with sunscreen compared to 16.6% for SPF moisturiser p<0.001 paired t-test). This difference was primarily due to decreased coverage of the eyelid regions (14.0% missed with sunscreen, 20.9% moisturiser, p<0.001). Analysis of a post-study questionnaire revealed participants to be unaware of their incomplete coverage. Secondary analyses revealed improved coverage in males (p = 0.05), and, with moisturiser only, in participants with darker skin tones (p = 0.02). Together these data indicate that, despite potential advantages in terms of increased frequency of application of moisturiser, the areas of the face that are at higher cancer risk are likely not being protected, and that participants are unaware that they are at risk. As such, alternative sun-protection strategies should be promoted.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Science & Technology; Multidisciplinary Sciences; Science & Technology - Other Topics; BASAL-CELL-CARCINOMA; VITAMIN-D; POPULATION
Subjects:	Q Science > QD Chemistry R Medicine > RS Pharmacy and materia medica
Divisions:	Applied Mathematics (merged with Comp Sci 10 Aug 20)
Publisher:	Public Library of Science
Related URLs:	Author
Date Deposited:	03 Oct 2019 08:46
Last Modified:	04 Sep 2021 08:47
DOI or ID number:	10.1371/journal.pone.0212548
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/11437

View Item