Sunscreen- things to know

It's a beautiful day here in Seattle which means everyone is showing quite a bit more skin than normal.  Many will have trouble sleeping over the next few due to sunburns.  Do you know everything there is to know about sunscreen?  I certainly do not but I recently read an article in Real Simple that was "Real Helpful."  If you're like me, you're lucky if you find the time to read the January issue of your favorite mag by June.  Here are the key points I found most helpful.

SPF- What does it all mean?

• SPF (Sun Protection Factor) refers to the protection the sunscreen offers.  Consider the time it would normally take your unprotected skin to burn.  For me, it's as little as 15 minutes... my red headed daughter even less.  Take that 15 minutes (or whatever your skin can handle) and multiply it by the SPF.  That's the average number of minutes the SPF will offer protection.  So, if it takes me 15 minutes to burn normally, an SPF will offer (15x15= 225 minutes or 3 hours and 45 minutes) of protection.  

If you're doing errands and won't be out in the sun for extended periods of time, consider a lower SPF.  Don't forget there are advantages to sun that us Seattleites can forget after 9 months of grey.  If you live in predominately overcast climates, chances are you're lacking this vitamin.  If you're going to the beach or sunbathing, go higher.  Remember that as the SPF increases, so does the amount of chemicals in your sunscreen.

How high should I go?

• Research has shown diminishing returns on SPF's higher than 30.  Some studies have shown only a 1%-4% increase in protection between an SPF of 30 versus one 40 or higher.

Now, don't forget that sunscreen isn't really waterproof.  Resistant?  Yes.  Not waterproof.  Researchers say that if you're in the water for 40 minutes, it's time to reapply.  In the water for 15 minutes?  You can take 2 more 15 minute dips before the sunscreen has likely worn off.


UVA/ UVB and Broad Spectrum:

• You can get bogged down in detail on this so I'll keep it simple.  UVB rays burn (B=Burn).  UVA rays are not to be ignored as they can also lead to skin damage and cancer.  UVA will also add a few years to your skin so be sure to get a sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays.  To protect against skin cancer, premature aging and other harm, buy sunscreens labeled "Broad Spectrum."  This means the product blocks against both UVA and UVB rays.

Is there a difference between sunscreen and sunblock?  

• Cosmetic physician Dr Jamuna Pai says, "Sunscreens allow a little filtering of UVB rays in the skin,      whereas sunblock contain zinc oxide that deflects the UV rays from the skin altogether."  
• Conflicting information says that no product will actually block sun rays 100%.  According to a recent Marie Claire article, companies are banned from calling their products "sunblock" for this reason.

REAPPLY!!! 
My poor daughter looked like a tomato when we went to Cabo.  We couldn't figure out why an SPF of 60 wasn't sufficient.  The trick is to reapply every couple hours, even more if you're in the water.  For the average adult, a shot glass amount will usually suffice.

The little things matter!
Talk to any dermatologist and he or she will tell you the most common places for skin cancer are on the lips, nose and the tops of the ears.  Why?  People forget to apply sunscreen to these areas.  My dad had his entire bottom lip removed because of normal sun exposure to his lips.  It doesn't take much!  Buy a lip balm with an SPF of 30 to get the most protect.  Reapply consistently as it will wear off quicker from eating and drinking.


Happy Summer!