5 things you should know about SPF

5 Things You Should Know About Sun Protection Factor

Learn the truth about skin damage from sun exposure.

• Not all sun protection products are created equal. To find the right formula for you, carefully study the product labels.
• Your body is exposed to UV radiation every day, whether you’re indoors or outdoors. If you protect your skin properly every day, you help shield it from signs of premature aging and also reduce the risk of skin cancer.

Instead of a tanned skin tone and long hours spent in the sun, you will have healthy, smooth skin with an even tone, and better overall health. Surprisingly, many people who think they are protected follow outdated and incorrect advice that ultimately harms their skin’s health. Let’s go through some important facts you should know.

1) Not All Sun Protection Products Protect Against Both UVA (Aging) and UVB (Burning) Rays

Many people believe that using any available SPF product protects them from both types of harmful sun rays. Unfortunately, this isn’t true. To understand why, carefully read the label, ingredient list, and identify the physical form of the products you buy.

The SPF (Sun Protection Factor) value indicates how long it takes UVB rays—the main cause of sunburn—to redden your skin. For example, SPF 15 means your skin will take 15 times longer to turn red compared to unprotected skin. However, this has nothing to do with UVA rays, which are the same rays you find in tanning beds. UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin and play a major role in accelerating signs of skin aging and can also cause skin cancer.

To protect your skin from both UVA and UVB radiation, it’s not enough to buy a product with SPF 15 or higher. You should make sure the product is labeled as “broad-spectrum,” meaning it contains a combination of ingredients known to protect against both types of UV rays. These can be chemical or mineral filters, or a combination of both. Chemical filters (e.g., Avobenzone, Oxybenzone) absorb ultraviolet (UV) radiation, while physical filters (e.g., titanium dioxide, zinc oxide) reflect or scatter UV radiation.

2) Chemical or Mineral Sunscreen? It’s a Matter of Preference

Chemical sunscreens absorb into the skin and are generally preferred because they feel lighter and are less visible on the skin. They contain active ingredients such as Avobenzone, Octinoxate, Oxybenzone, and Helioplex.

Physical, or mineral, sunscreens stay on the skin’s surface. They may feel heavier and are more noticeable on the skin but provide additional coverage and are more resistant to being rubbed off during swimming or sweating. These products typically contain active ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

3) A Base Tan Does Not Protect You from the Sun

There is no such thing as safe tanning. By nature, tanning is your skin’s defense response to UV damage. Your cells react to the damage by producing more melanin (pigment), which causes your skin to darken. Trying to get a base tan has nothing to do with healthy skin or protecting it.

4) Sunscreen Makes Sense Even Outside of Summer

Skin damage from the sun doesn’t only happen in summer or at the beach. Photoaging or UV damage (which causes aging) can occur even in daylight through clouds, rain, glass, and even from exposure to fluorescent lighting. That’s why it’s essential to protect your skin every day. Up to 90% of photoaging can be prevented by daily use of sunscreen products, so don’t hesitate to apply it!

5) You Probably Aren’t Using Enough Sunscreen

Generally, creams and lotions provide better protection than sprays, which most people do not apply in sufficient amounts for adequate protection. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a “generous” amount (about the size of a shot glass) of SPF 30 product on your entire body and reapplying every two hours (or after swimming or exercising). For facial skin, the general rule to achieve the protection level indicated on the packaging is to apply about one teaspoon of product.