Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31069787›Full record

Trial reportThe British journal of dermatology2019

Optimal sunscreen use, during a sun holiday with a very high ultraviolet index, allows vitamin D synthesis without sunburn.

A R Young, J Narbutt, G I Harrison, K P Lawrence, M Bell, C O'Connor, P Olsen, K Grys, K A Baczynska, M Rogowski-Tylman and 3 more

Open access · bronzeAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in The British journal of dermatology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 47 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
47citing papers in PubMed
10.9field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

47 citing papers in PubMed, 108 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Innovative digital solution supporting sun protection and vitamin D synthesis by using satellite-based monitoring of solar radiation.Photochemical & photobiological sciences : Official journal of the European Photochemistry Association and the European Society for Photobiology · 2022
    Trial
  3. Beyond total irradiance: a PCA-based filtering framework identifies wavelength-dependent biological signatures of sunlight exposure.Photochemical & photobiological sciences : Official journal of the European Photochemistry Association and the European Society for Photobiology · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. 25-Hydroxyvitamin DCommunications medicine · 2026
    Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Review
  13. Review
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. [Vitamin D deficiency: positioning of the Medical Nutrition Research Unit].Revista medica del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social · 2025
    Review
  17. Article
  18. Review
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.

A R YoungKing's College London, St John's Institute of Dermatology, London, SE1 9RT, U.K.ORCID 0000-0002-4163-6772
J NarbuttMedical University of Łódź, Department of Dermatology, Pediatric Dermatology and Dermatological Oncology, Łódź, 90-647, Poland.
G I HarrisonKing's College London, St John's Institute of Dermatology, London, SE1 9RT, U.K.
K P LawrenceKing's College London, St John's Institute of Dermatology, London, SE1 9RT, U.K.ORCID 0000-0003-0124-961X
M BellWalgreens Boots Alliance Inc., Nottingham, NG90 5EF, U.K.
C O'ConnorWalgreens Boots Alliance Inc., Nottingham, NG90 5EF, U.K.
P OlsenBispebjerg Hospital, Department of Dermatological Research, Copenhagen, 2400, Denmark.
K GrysKing's College London, St John's Institute of Dermatology, London, SE1 9RT, U.K.
K A BaczynskaPublic Health England, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RQ, U.K.
M Rogowski-TylmanDermoklinika Centrum Medyczne, Łódź, 90-436, Poland.
H C WulfBispebjerg Hospital, Department of Dermatological Research, Copenhagen, 2400, Denmark.
A LesiakMedical University of Łódź, Department of Dermatology, Pediatric Dermatology and Dermatological Oncology, Łódź, 90-647, Poland.
P A PhilipsenBispebjerg Hospital, Department of Dermatological Research, Copenhagen, 2400, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0002-9656-733X
King's College London · GBBispebjerg Hospital · DKMedical University of Lodz · PLWalgreens Boots Alliance (United Kingdom) · GBPublic Health England · GB

Funding

NIHR
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSunlight contains ultraviolet (UV)A and UVB radiation. UVB is essential for vitamin D synthesis but is the main cause of sunburn and skin cancer. Sunscreen use is advocated to reduce the sun's adverse effects but may compromise vitamin D status.

objectivesTo assess the ability of two intervention sunscreens to inhibit vitamin D synthesis during a week-long sun holiday.

methodsThe impact of sunscreens on vitamin D status was studied during a 1-week sun holiday in Tenerife (28° N). Comparisons were made between two formulations, each with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15. The UVA-protection factor (PF) was low in one case and high in the other. Healthy Polish volunteers (n = 20 per group) were given the sunscreens and advised on the correct application. Comparisons were also made with discretionary sunscreen use (n = 22) and nonholiday groups (51·8° N, n = 17). Sunscreen use in the intervention groups was measured. Behaviour, UV radiation exposure, clothing cover and sunburn were monitored. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D

resultsUse of intervention sunscreens was the same (P = 0·60), and both equally inhibited sunburn, which was present in the discretionary use group. There was an increase (P < 0·001) in mean ± SD 25(OH)D

conclusionsSunscreens may be used to prevent sunburn yet allow vitamin D synthesis. A high UVA-PF sunscreen enables significantly higher vitamin D synthesis than a low UVA-PF sunscreen because the former, by default, transmits more UVB than the latter. What's already known about this topic? Action spectra (wavelength dependence) for erythema and the cutaneous formation of vitamin D overlap considerably in the ultraviolet (UV)B region. Theoretically, sunscreens that inhibit erythema should also inhibit vitamin D synthesis. To date, studies on the inhibitory effects of sunscreens on vitamin D synthesis have given conflicting results, possibly, in part, because people typically apply sunscreen suboptimally. Many studies have design flaws. What does this study add? Sunscreens (sun protection factor, SPF 15) applied at sufficient thickness to inhibit sunburn during a week-long holiday with a very high UV index still allow a highly significant improvement of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D

Indexed as

Administration, CutaneousAdultCalcifediolFemaleHealthy VolunteersHolidaysHumansMaleMiddle AgedPolandSkinSkin NeoplasmsSpainSunburnSunlightSun Protection FactorCalcifediolSunscreening Agents

Identifiers

PMID31069787
PMCPMC6899952
OpenAlexW2944751843

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.