PA+ to PA++++ and PPD: How Asian Sunscreens Rate UVA Protection
Those plus signs on your K-beauty and J-beauty sunscreen are a precise UVA grade, and here's exactly what they measure.
Japan's PA system grades UVA protection from PA+ to PA++++ based on the Persistent Pigment Darkening (PPD) method, with PA++++ corresponding to a PPD of 16 or higher; it was expanded from 3 to 4 levels in 2013.
The Japan Cosmetic Industry Association defines the PA grades by PPD value, providing a standardized way to communicate UVA protection that SPF alone does not capture.
Questions we get a lot
What does the PA rating on a sunscreen mean?
PA is Japan's grading system for UVA protection, running from PA+ to PA++++. It is based on the Persistent Pigment Darkening (PPD) method, where PA++++ corresponds to a PPD of 16 or higher. More plus signs indicate stronger UVA protection, which SPF alone does not describe.
Why do Korean and Japanese sunscreens use PA instead of just SPF?
SPF measures only UVB protection, while the PA system communicates how well a product protects against UVA. Japan's standard, defined by the JCIA, was expanded from three to four levels in 2013 to include PA++++. Together, an SPF number and a PA rating describe both UVB and UVA defense.
r/AsianBeauty: 'I see PA++++ on my Korean sunscreen but not on US ones, what does it actually mean?'