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Sunscreen Lotions  

Which Is Best For You

 

Their are many choices of sunscreen lotions to choose from, but it's important to know which one is right for you, and for the amount of sun exposure you will be facing.  You may find that you need more than one in your household.  Whatever the case, it's important to first understand what sunscreens are exactly.

ABOUT SUNSCREENS

Sunscreens are chemical agents that help prevent the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching the skin. Two types of ultraviolet radiation, UVA and UVB, damage the skin and increase your risk of skin cancer.

The main cause of sunburn is UVB.  However, the UVA rays, penetrate the skin more deeply, and are associated with wrinkling, leathering, sagging, and other effects of photoaging. They also exacerbate the carcinogenic effects of UVB rays, and increasingly are being seen as a cause of skin cancer on their own. 

When it comes to sunscreens, they vary in their ability to protect against UVA and UVB.

WHAT IS SPF EXACTLY?

Most sunscreens with an SPF of 15 or higher do an excellent job of protecting against UVB. SPF, which is the Sun Protection Factor, is a measure of a sunscreen's ability to prevent UVB from damaging the skin. 

HOW THE SPF WORKS 

If it takes 20 minutes for your unprotected skin to start turning red in the sun, using an SPF 15 sunscreen lotions should prevent reddening 15 times longer or about five hours. 

We can look at it in terms of percentages to give better understanding:  

  • SPF 15 blocks approximately 93 percent of all incoming UVB rays. 
  • SPF 30 blocks 97 percent
  • SPF 50 blocks 98 percent. 

The differences may not seem to be that important,  but if you are light-sensitive, or have a history of skin cancer, those extra percentages will make a difference.  

PROBLEMS WITH THE SPF  

  • Sunscreen lotion cannot block all UV rays. 
  • No sunscreen, regardless of strength, should be expected to stay effective longer than two hours without reapplication. 
  • Reddening of the skin is a reaction to UVB rays alone and tells you little about what UVA damage you may be getting. Plenty of damage can be done without the red flag of sunburn being raised.

WHO SHOULD BE USING SUNSCREEN LOTIONS?

Anyone over the age of six months should use a sunscreen daily. Even those who work inside are exposed to ultraviolet radiation for brief periods throughout the day. Also, UVA is not blocked by most windows.

Children under the age of six months should not be exposed to the sun. Shade and protective clothing are the best ways to protect infants from the sun.

WHAT TYPE OF SUNSCREEN LOTION SHOULD YOU USE?

You need to first determine how much sun exposure you're expecting to be in to know what type of lotion you should use.  In all cases it is recommended to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen offering protection against both UVA and UVB rays.

Many after-shave lotions and moisturizers have a sunscreen (usually SPF 15 or greater) already in them, and this is sufficient for everyday activities with a few minutes here and there in the sun. However, if you work outside or spend a lot of time outdoors, you need stronger, water-resistant, beachwear-type sunscreen that holds together on your skin. 

The "water resistant" and "very water resistant" types of sunscreen lotions are also good for hot days or while playing sports, because they're less likely to drip into your eyes. However, these sunscreens may not be as good for everyday wear. They are stickier, they don't go as well with makeup, and they need to be reapplied every two hours.

Many of the sunscreen lotions available in the US today combine several different active chemical sunscreen ingredients in order to provide broad-spectrum protection. Usually, at least three active ingredients are called for. These generally include: 

  • PABA derivatives, salicylates, and/or cinnamates (octylmethoxycinnamate and cinoxate) for UVB absorption 
  • benzophenones (such as oxybenzone and sulisobenzone) for shorter-wavelength UVA protection 
  • avobenzone (Parsol 1789), ecamsule (MexorylTM), titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide for the remaining UVA spectrum.

Continue here to find out more about sunscreen lostions and how much sunscreen you should use.

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The author takes no responsibility for the personal results of those who have read this article or who use any of the information from this website.

 
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