Shut the Sun Up !!!! - Things You Should Know About Sunscreen

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The sun is a blessing, but it can also be a curse inflicting sunburns, tanning and premature ageing. The sun is our friend, except when it is not. Prolonged exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet radiation is the number one cause of this ailment, the most common form of cancer. The solution: sunscreen,but there are certain things you need to know about sunscreen.

Sunscreen is for Every Type of Skin

While people with light skin, hair and eyes are more prone to visible sun damage, people with all skin types are susceptible to skin cancers. Jamaican singer Bob Marley died of melanoma at just 36 years old. So no matter your skin type, always protect it by using a broad-spectrum sunscreen.

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You need to apply sunscreen more than once a day

“Sunscreen breaks down after two hours, so you need to reapply it every two hours you’re out in the sun, more so if you’ve been swimming or sweating a lot,” she says. “Once you dry off your skin, you’ll need to reapply.”

Look for a sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection

UVA rays penetrate the skin more deeply than UVB rays and cause wrinkles and aging. UVB rays are even stronger than UVA rays and are the chief culprit behind sunburns. Both types contribute to skin cancer. To protect against both—a must, Dr. Kingsley says—choose a broad-spectrum or full-spectrum sunscreen

SPF:

Sun protection factor (SPF) value of a sunscreen is defined as the ratio of energy required to produce skin reddening or burning through the sunscreen, compared to the energy required to produce the same reaction in the absence of the sunscreen.

Sunscreen with SPF 15 may absorb more than 92.6 of UVB radiation

 while SPF 30 sunscreen may absorb only 96.7% of UVB rays

  SPF 40 sunscreen may absorb more than 97.5% of UVB rays.

So doubling the SPF sunscreen doesn’t give double protection. So don’t be fooled by the higher SPF products.

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Higher Doesn't Always Mean Better

Just because you’ve got yourself an SPF 50 doesn’t mean it will offer greater protection than an SPF 30. In fact, often times people get lazy when using a higher number – they apply it once thinking it’ll last all day when sunscreen should be reapplied regularly throughout the day and especially after swimming or sweating. Another common mistake is applying less SPF 50 thinking a little will go a long way. Any SPF number between 30 and 50 will give you adequate sun protection, as long as it is used correctly.

Apply More Than You Think You Need

Most of us use far too little sunscreen to adequately protect our skin from sun damage. Most people apply one-third less SPF than the amounts used by researchers when evaluating how effective sunscreen is. So, always apply more than you think you need. A good rule to follow, for an average-sized person, is to apply at least one ounce of sunscreen (or a shot glass amount) to your entire body and a nickel-sized amount to your face. Also, always remember to apply SPF to your ears, lips, backs of the hands and fingers, and tops of the feet and toes.

There's No Such Thing as Waterproof Sunscreen

Some sunscreens may be water-resistant but none are waterproof or sweat-proof, which is why it is vital to reapply every 40 to 80 minutes when swimming or exercising in the sun.