What Patients Need to Know About the FDA’s Sunscreen Warning, With Adam Friedman, M.D.
The FDA has warned that mousse sunscreens are not currently approved, raising questions about their safety and effectiveness.
By
Lana Pine
| Published on August 29, 2025
2 min read
In an interview with The Educated Patient, Adam Friedman, M.D., professor and chair of dermatology at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, explained that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s recent warning about mousse-style sunscreens is not because the products have been proven unsafe, but because they have not gone through the required approval process.
Sunscreens are classified as over-the-counter drugs, which means the FDA sets strict rules about what kinds of formulations (creams, lotions, oils, sticks, sprays, powders) can be used. Mousse or “whipped” sunscreens are not currently on this approved list. This creates a problem: Companies selling mousse sunscreens are making claims (such as SPF and broad-spectrum protection) without proving to the FDA that the product works the same way as approved sunscreen types.
The main concern is uncertainty — we don’t know how mousse sunscreens spread on the skin, how much is needed for protection or whether the product truly performs as labeled. Because of this lack of quality assurance, Friedman advises against using them if other approved options are available.
That said, he recognizes a gray area: If someone refuses to use any sunscreen except mousse, it may still be better than using nothing at all. Sunscreen adherence matters, and companies may have introduced mousse to encourage consistent use. But with so many FDA-approved choices available (lotions, creams, sticks, sprays, gels, powders, etc.), Friedman hopes patients will choose products that meet established safety and effectiveness standards.
He also noted that this situation highlights a larger problem: The U.S. has not approved new sunscreen ingredients in over 20 years, unlike Europe, which has more advanced filters available. He hopes new legislation (the Safe Sunscreen Act) will help expand safe, effective sunscreen options in the future.
Key Takeaway:
Mousse sunscreens aren’t proven unsafe — the problem is that they haven’t been properly tested or approved. Stick with FDA-recognized sunscreen types whenever possible, and remember that hats, sunglasses, clothing and shade are also essential parts of sun protection.
