WHAT IS SUN SCREEN?
Sun screen, or suntan lotion, comes in lots of different formulations: there are traditional creams and lotions, lighter sprays and gels. Traditionally formulations have been quite heavy but now new formulations with high levels of protection are hitting the market – they give protection without being too thick and gloopy! The aim of sun screen is to protect the skin from damaging UV (ultraviolet rays) from the sun. There are two main types of UV rays that we need to be concerned about. UVB rays and UVA rays both contribute to sunburn, ageing and skin cancer.
It is important that you know that sun screens tend to provide most protection against UVB rays – that is they prevent burning. Most sun screens now provide some levels of UVA protection – we will look at this when we find out what SPF’s are in a following section.
HOW MUCH DO I NEED TO APPLY AND WHEN?
The biggest problem with sun screen is that people do not apply enough, often enough. They use a small amount, hurriedly slapping on whichever parts of the body it is lucky enough to reach, and then forget about it! It is vital that you know how to apply sun screen and when to use it. An average person of 5ft 4inches should apply about 30ml in one application. If you have a 300ml bottle, and we take into account that you are not yet grown up, we suggest that you will need between 20-30 ml depending on your size and weight. You will notice that 30ml is one tenth of your 300ml bottle – it is not a small blob!
Before you go out, apply sun screen 15-30 minutes beforehand.
Put it on before you put on your clothes, and be thorough! Remember often neglected places like your ears, the back of your neck, and behind your knees. Re-apply 15 minutes after you go out into the sun – think of it as like applying two coats of paint to a wall – it gives a better finish!
Once you are out in the sun, you need to re-apply your sunscreen every two hours, and again after going into water or after activities that make you sweat! People often jump in the pool or the sea on holiday, come out again, and fail to put any more sunscreen on. This leaves your skin very vulnerable to burning. If you are going to be doing activities you can buy sunscreens that are waterproof or require less applications – these are really convenient so look out for them when you are out sun screen shopping!
WHAT IS AN SPF?
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. The higher the SPF, the more protection the sunscreen will give you from UVB rays. These are the rays that burn you. If you look at some of the bottles on the shelves some go as low as 8, others go up to 50+.
When choosing an SPF you need first to know your skin type.
Skin types I, II and III require higher protection factors, we recommend 30+, going even higher if you are a type I. If you are a IV or V to use a sunscreen when you are sunbathing.
Remember, UVA rays are so strong they can even pass through glass. They penetrate the deeper layers of your skin.
ALWAYS CHECK THE LABEL OF YOUR SUN SCREEN TO SEE IF IT PROVIDES UVA PROTECTION. In the U.K., UVA protection is shown by a star system, with one to five stars awarded for UVA protection.
5 star ***** protection shows the highest level of UVA protection.
1 star * protection shows the lowest level of UVA protection.
So it makes sense to choose a sun screen with a 5 star level of UVA protection. A sun screen with an SPF to protect against UVB rays and UVA protection of at least 3 stars is often called a broad spectrum sun screen.
It is important that you know that while sun screens are helpful, they are not perfect and scientists are working on ways to increase UVB and UVA protection in sun screens to help protect us from skin cancer.
REMEMBER:
- Pick a sun screen to match your skin type.
- Make sure it has UVB and UVA protection – check the bottle.
- Apply it before you go out in the sun and regularly during the day.
- Stay out of the sun when at its peek between 11a.m. to 3p.m. when possible. At the very least, stay out of the in the middle of the day when the sun is at its strongest.
