Suncreen Testing

Dermatologically verified safety for sun protection products

Sun protection is more than a cosmetic claim – it plays a critical role in preventing skin cancer and premature skin aging. That’s why verifying the claimed effectiveness of a product through scientific testing is essential.

At Dermatest, we test the protective performance of sunscreens and skincare products with sun protection factor (SPF) according to the latest international standards. We combine scientific precision with ethical responsibility – for manufacturers, regulatory professionals, and health-conscious consumers alike.

New Standards: ISO 23675:2024 & ISO 23698:2024

High Ethical Standards at Dermatest

Flexible Testing and Preliminary Screenings

Why sun protection testing matters

Reliable testing ensures that sunscreen products deliver the UV protection they promise – both in the UVB and UVA spectrum. This not only protects the skin but also strengthens consumer trust.

Vulnerable skin, especially in babies and children, requires dependable protection. Dermatologically validated sunscreens make a meaningful contribution to long-term skin health and preventive care.

Our ethical standards – Why Dermatest no longer offers ISO 24444:
This method involves inducing sunburn on test subjects to assess UVB protection. Since the end of 2022, we have discontinued this test based on ethical reasons. Our internal guideline is clear: We do not perform tests that deliberately cause skin damage – particularly when validated, non-invasive alternatives are available.

Flexible Testing and Preliminary Screenings
If the SPF level of a product is still unclear during development, we offer preliminary screenings. These correspond to half of the full test and provide an initial estimate. The test can later be completed for official SPF labelling.

New ISO Standards: ISO 23675:2024 & ISO 23698:2024

ISO 23675:2024

In vitro determination of UVB protection (SPF)

This method determines SPF without involving human participants. It measures UV transmission through a thin film of sunscreen applied to PMMA plates, before and after controlled irradiation with a solar simulator (290–400 nm).

Advantages:

No exposure of human skin to UV radiation
Fast, cost-effective, and highly reproducible
Norm-compliant for emulsions and alcoholic solutions

This state-of-the-art method supports safe, efficient, and ethically responsible sun protection testing.

ISO 23698:2024

Hybrid assessment using HDRS (Hybrid Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy)

This combined in vitro/in vivo method enables the measurement of:

SPF (UVB protection factor)
UVA-PF (UVA protection factor)
CW (Critical Wavelength)

The method analyzes light reflected from the skin, which indicates the product’s ability to block UV radiation. It covers the full UV spectrum (290–400 nm) and integrates precise lab measurements with non-invasive application on human skin.

Advantages:

High measurement accuracy and repeatability
Non-invasive and future-oriented
Fully standardized and internationally comparable

ISO 24443:2021

Established in vitro method for UVA protection

This test determines the UVA protection factor (320–400 nm) by measuring the transmission of UV through a thin product layer on PMMA plates after controlled UVA irradiation.

Advantages:

Rapid and cost-efficient
Scientifically validated
Complements ISO 23675 for comprehensive spectrum analysis

Are you interested in getting everything you need reliably and quickly?

FAQ

Why does Dermatest no longer offer the traditional ISO 24444 method?

This method is based on intentionally causing skin damage to test participants. For this reason, we discontinued its use at the end of 2022.
Our internal ethical quality standards and our responsibility toward test subjects do not allow for the deliberate induction of sunburn, especially when alternative, highly precise, and standardized European test methods for determining SPF are available.

Can preliminary tests be conducted if the product’s final SPF level is still uncertain?

Yes, for all types of testing, we offer preliminary screenings that correspond to half of the full test.
If the result is to be used for product labelling, the screening can later be extended to complete the full test.