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Results Of New Sunscreen Testing Not So Sunny

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - If you buy sunscreen based on its SPF rating, you may be getting shortchanged.

New testing by Consumer Reports revealed that not every sunscreen met its SPF claims.

Bailey Peraita depends on sunscreen to keep her skin protected.

"Whole body, everything, anything that the sun is touching, I wear sunscreen on my face every day," said Peraita. "Even my make-up has sunscreen in it."

But certain product's claims of SPF protection may be misleading.

"About one-third of the sunscreens we tested this year did not meet their SPF claims," said Trisha Calvo, Deputy Editor for Health & Food at Consumer Reports.

SPF measures how well a sunscreen protects your skin from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. Of the 34 sunscreens tested, 11 did not meet their SPF claims which could lead to a false sense of security.

"When you have something that's an SPF 30, and it tests at below an SPF 15, that's worrisome because you're getting less protection than what most dermatologists and experts recommend," said Calvo.

Experts say the best way to protect you skin is to remember to reapply sunscreen often and limit your time in the sun.

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