Save your skin with sunscreen!
Summer is here. At last! If you’re like most people, you love the feeling of sun kissed skin. But beware, you need to protect your skin from the sun’s rays as they are much more dangerous than you think. Here is some information that could be useful to you.
How does sunlight work?
Sunlight arrives on earth in three forms: infrared (heat), visible light and ultraviolet.
Ultraviolet (UV) light is invisible and they are intense rays from the sun. It can damage your skin and increase your risk of skin cancer. There are three categories of UV.
· UVA: also known as black light, which causes tanning, skin aging and wrinkles. Penetrates the skin deeply. UVA rays are present at all hours of the day and all year round (even throughout the winter months). UVA radiation can penetrate glass and clouds.
· UVB: causes sunburn, skin aging and skin cancer. The intensity of UVB varies by season, location and the time of day. The most significant amount of UVB hits between 10 AM and 4 PM between April and October. UVB rays do not penetrate glass.
· UVC: filtered out by the atmosphere and never reaches us.
While the differences between UVB and UVA need to be explored further, it's proven that exposure to the combination of UVB and UVA is a powerful attack on the skin. It can create irreversible damage such as sunburn, premature skin aging, skin cancer, wrinkles, freckles, age spots, dilated blood vessels and change of skin texture. That’s why protection from these rays is extremely important.
How do sunscreens work?
Sunscreen absorbs, reflects or scatters UV light. They are available in different forms: ointment, creams, gels, lotions, sprays, and wax sticks. All are labelled with SPF numbers.
Types of sunscreens
Sunscreens provide either physical or chemical protection from UV light.
· Physical sunscreens form an opaque film that reflects or scatters UV light before it can penetrate the skin. These sunscreens contain ingredients, such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which protect against both UVA and UVB rays (but not the full spectrum of UVA rays) and are especially useful for people allergic to chemical sunscreens. The original formulations of physical sunscreens from the past remain white when applied to the skin. Newer formulations blend more with your skin tone and are less noticeable.
· Chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays before they can cause any damage. They contain one or more ingredients, such as avobenzone or oxybenzone, which absorb UVA or UVB rays. For broad protection, chemical sunscreens often contain more than one ingredient to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. Chemical sunscreens offer more coverage against UVA and UVB rays than physical sunscreens. A newer over-the-counter sunscreen contains mexoryl (Anthelios SX) and offers protection against both UVA and UVB radiation. Its broad-spectrum characteristics allow sunscreens to be made with very high SPF factors. Chemical sunscreens tend to be more irritating to the skin.
Who should use sunscreen?
Anyone over the age of six months should use sunscreen daily. Even those who work inside are exposed to UV lights for short periods throughout the day. Remember, UVA can penetrate glasses. Babies under six months should be kept out of direct sunlight because their skin is even more fragile. Shade and protective clothing are the best way to protect babies from the sun. But if you’re not able to keep the baby out of the sun, apply a small amount of sunscreen on exposed skin, such as on hands, on ears, and check for any skin reactions.
What is an SPF?
SPF – or sun protection factor – is a measure of a sunscreen’s ability to prevent UVB from damaging the skin. Currently, there is no existing standard rating system that measures UVA protection. All sunscreens products include an SPF.
SPF 15 blocks approximately 93 percent of all incoming UVB rays. SPF 30 blocks 97 percent, and SPF 50 blocks 99 percent. As you can see, no sunscreen can block all UVB rays. Using sunscreen is not the only way to protect your skin.
The beneficial effects of sunscreen decreases over time, so after a few hours the difference between SPF 15, 30 or 50 may be even less. Don't rely only on the SPF factor to decide how long you're safe in the sun. And don't count on your skin to tell you when you've had too much sun. It can take up to 24 hours for a sunburn to develop fully.
Part II of this post will be coming soon...
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