Sunscreens are vital skin care products because they protect the skin from the sun’s ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. These rays cause skin cancer and accelerate the skin’s aging process by causing age spots, wrinkles and leathery skin.
The first step in choosing a sunscreen is to ensure that it offers broad-spectrum protection against both UVA (skin aging rays) and UVB (skin burning rays). The words “Broad Spectrum” on the sunscreen label often offer a clue to its effectiveness but the best method is to ensure that titanium dioxide or zinc oxide or oxybenzone or avobenzone (Parsol 1789) are among the listed ingredients.
The second step is to choose a sunscreen with the correct SPF (sun protection factor). SPF measures how effectively the product protects the skin from UVB rays with a SPF 15 sunscreen filtering out 93% of the UVB and a SPF 30 screening out 97%. Generally, SPF 15 is adequate if you expect to be outside for a few minutes while if you plan on spending hours in the sun a SPF 30 sunscreen is the safest best.
The third step is to pick the right sunscreen for your skin type.
Sunscreens for Sensitive Skin
If you have sensitive skin you should steer clear of sunscreens with para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), dioxybenzone and sulisobenzone since they can irritate the skin. So therefore look for the words “PABA Free” on the label or pick those that contain titanium dioxide or zinc oxide since they protect the skin without being absorbed.
Sunscreens for Dry Skin
If you have dry skin buy sunscreens with moisturizing ingredients like lanolin, dimethicone and other silicones. These moisturizing sunscreens are usually formulated as creams, lotions and ointments.
Sunscreens for Oily and Acne Prone Skin
If you have oily skin, which is prone to developing acne lesions avoid creamy sunscreens and use ones marked as “non-comedogenic” which means that they will not clog skin pores and cause breakouts. These sunscreens, which are usually water-based gel formulations, may also be labelled with the words “Won’t Clog Pores”.
Using the Sunscreen
Choosing the correct sunscreen but using it incorrectly is tantamount to using the wrong one. Therefore ensure that you apply the sunscreen at least 20 minutes before going out into the sun and reapply it every two hours. When swimming or engaging in activities that that cause perspiration, ensure that you use “Water Resistant Sunscreen” and reapply it after the activity.
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Marian Kim MD is a freelance health writer and ghost blogger. She has written numerous articles for both online and offline publications. Visit https://drmariankim.contently.com to read more of her work or getthewritingdoctors@gmail.com.
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[photo credit: Oliver Allen via photopin cc]
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