"Confused by SPF? Take a Number"

"Last year, Coppertone rolled out two easy-to-use sprays with its highest-ever sun protection factor: SPF 70+. Not to be outdone, Neutrogena offered its Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch lotion in SPF 85 strength, that year's big gun. ...

But now, SPF creep has hit the triple digits with Neutrogena's SPF 100+ sunblock, leading some dermatologists to complain that this is merely a numbers game that confuses consumers.

The parade of stratospheric SPFs is 'crazy,' said Dr. Barbara A. Gilchrest, a dermatology professor at Boston University School of Medicine. 'For a normal person who is fair-skinned and concerned about skin damage and photoaging,' Dr. Gilchrest said, 'it's really in my opinion tremendous overkill.'"

Catherine Saint Louis reports for the New York Times May 13, 2009.