HOUSTON – It sounds like something straight out of the Jetsons: one pill a day. That's all you need to protect your skin from the sun's damaging rays.
One pill all day long. No need for sunscreen.Sun Assure promises to do just that. The company said the pills are all natural, safe and effective with protective properties equal to an SPF 30 against both UVA and UVB rays.
Many Houstonians we spoke with said it sounded too good to be true.
John Logan said, "Nah, I'm not big on taking pills. It's just kind of like a fad I think."
Sara Selber said, "No thank you. I'm good with what's really natural. If my grandmother did it, I do it."
The active ingredients include vitamins A, C, E and zinc. Antioxidants the company says protects the skin from the inside out.
UTHealth Dermatologist Dr. Valencia Thomas told Local 2, "Currently, we do not have FDA approved vitamins that can provide us with the appropriate sun protection factor. So currently, although research is promising, we don't have a standard pill or antioxidant supplement that can actually give us the protection we need."
Dr. Thomas is concerned people would rely on the pills instead of tried and true sunscreen.
She said, "At this time until we get more evidence, I would not substitute sunscreen applied directly to the skin for these other topical or oral agents."
Until such a product is approved by the FDA, Dr. Thomas recommends sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30 and reapplication every two hours.
A 30 day supply of Sun Assure costs about $30.