Annual Sunscreen Protection Can Cost as Little as $40 per Year

Follow Drugslib on

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com

via HealthDay

MONDAY, March 9, 2026 -- Using sunscreen can cost as little as $40 a year or as much as $1,400 a year, according to a study published online Feb. 18 in JAMA Dermatology.

Maya Mundada, from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and colleagues assessed how the cost of sunscreen use varies by sunscreen price and other sun-protective behaviors. The economic evaluation study calculated sunscreen application costs based on recommended application amounts, use of other sun protection strategies, and 2025 sunscreen prices from an online retailer.

The researchers found that for sunscreens with similar ingredients and sun protection factor ratings, the unit price of sunscreen varied by up to 17.5-fold across three sunscreens. Per-application cost varied from $0.04 to $3.79, depending on combinations of typical clothing worn. One year of sunscreen use had an estimated cost between $39.28 and $1,429.42, a 36-fold difference, depending on unit price and other sun-protective strategies used. At the beach, a single week of sunscreen, assuming two applications a day, costs approximately $6.57 to $135.82, depending on whether wearing shorts or a bikini and sunscreen unit price.

"Encouraging the use of lower-priced sunscreens and other sun protective behavior like wearing hats, long sleeves, and long pants could lead to better protection," coauthor Maria L. Wei, M.D., Ph.D., also from UCSF, said in a statement. "Less expensive sunscreen, with the same active ingredients and same sun protection factor, is as photoprotective as the more expensive, in terms of protection from UV radiation."

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2026-03-10 08:43

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords