Summer has finally arrived in South Africa! And while most of us just can’t resist sunning ourselves during this season, we all know the importance of using sunscreen to avoid sunburn and all the other dangers of the sun. But some of us are not always aware of the good, bad & lesser known do’s & don’ts when it comes to protecting our skin in the best possible way.
The sunlight that reaches us on earth is made up of 2 main types of harmful rays: UVA (long wave) and UVB (short wave). An easy way to remember what they do, is to remember that the A in UVA stands for Aging and the B in UVB stands for Burning. There is also a third type of ray, UVC – which is the shortest and strongest, but thankfully they’re absorbed by the ozone layer and typically do not reach the Earth.
Overexposure to either UVA or UVB can damage the skin, but many sunscreens do not block UVA radiation, (which does not cause sunburn), so many people using these sunscreens may be exposed to high UVA levels without realizing it.
UVA rays are absorbed from the sun, tanning beds as well as ‘tan cans’ and penetrate deep into the dermis, where it causes DNA damage. This increases your risk of malignant melanomas (cancer), leads to premature skin aging as well as suppresses your immune system.
This is why it is imperative to opt for a broad-spectrum sunscreen, which will protect your skin against both UVA & UVB rays.
The SPF (sun protection factor) of a sunscreen is a laboratory measure of the effectiveness of sunscreen — the higher the SPF, the more protection a sunscreen offers against UVB (note – not UVA) Oversimplified, if you normally get sunburned in 10min, then an SPF 15 sunscreen should allow you to stay in the sun 150min (i.e. fifteen times longer) without getting sunburned.
In practice however, the protection from a particular sunscreen depends, besides SPF, on factors such as:
– The skin type of the user.
– The amount applied and frequency of re-application.
– Activities in which one engages (for example, swimming leads to a loss of sunscreen from the skin).
– Amount of sunscreen the skin has absorbed.
As mentioned in an article from last week by one of the other ladies, sunscreen works by absorbing UV energy (while sunblock physically blocks UV energy).
Now lets have a look at what the SPF of a sunscreen means when it comes to the percentage of UV energy that it absorbs:
The bottom line is that a sunscreen with a higher SPF does offer higher protection against UVB rays, but once you get past SPF 30, protection doesn’t increase dramatically. Instead of letting SPF be your only guide to sun protection, avoid the dangers by following a few simple sunscreen Do’s & Don’ts.
1. Do – Know your own Risk Factors: If you have cancer in your family medical history, are sensitive to the sun because of a medication or a medical condition or your skin is super white after a looong winter, take extra care.
2. Don’t – over expose yourself during 10am – 4pm when the sun’s burning rays are strongest
3. Do – remember that sunscreen needs to be fully absorbed into the skin to be effective: Apply it 15 to 30 minutes before you even step into the sun.
4. Do – Apply your sunscreen generously: A sufficient amount for your entire body is about 2 tablespoons.
5. Don’t – Forget to re-apply: Atleast every 2 hours if you’re in direct sun.
6. Don’t forget those kissable lips; be sure to use a lip balm that’s SPF 15 or higher.
7. Do – Broaden your spectrum: The SPF number indicates protection only against UVB rays – many sunscreens, even those with a high SPF, allow UVA rays to be absorbed by the skin. UVA protection is usually indicated by a “broad-spectrum” label. Look for this to ensure the most well-rounded sun coverage.
8. Don’t – forget the most commonly missed spots : The temples, ears, back of the neck and top of the feet. Try one of the sunscreens that contain disappearing colorants, so you can identify ‘unlotioned’ areas before they burn to a crisp.
9. Do – Cover up! Use a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, long sleeved shirt or pants. Don’t be shy, fashion comes second here.
10. Do – Examine your skin from head to toe every month and see your physician annually for a professional skin exam. Early detection is essential when treating malignant melanomas (skin cancer)
Last thoughts on UVA protection & broad-spectrum sunscreens: There is no rating to tell you how good a sunscreen is at blocking UVA rays, so look for a sunscreen that contains at least one of the following ingredients, Ecamsule(Mexoryl SX), Avobenzone(Parsol 1789), Cinnamates (octylmethyl cinnamate and cinoxate), Salicylates, Oxybenzone, Sulisobenzone, Titanium dioxide, or Zinc oxide.
Older sunscreens that provide UVA protection (with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide) have been available for a long time & used to make people look pale and ghostly, but newer manufacturing techniques have resolved this problem.
I hope this article shed a bit more (sun)light on the subject for you 😉 Now go out and have fun in the sun as an informed & responsible sun-users this summer!
Article by: Mariaan http://www.beautybulletin.com/blog-directory/our-bloggers/promakeupme