If there’s one thing that unites all skin care practitioners it is sunscreen. . .an aesthetician, skin care influencer and dermatologist will all tell you “Sunscreen! Everyday! All day!” SUNSCREEN!
Why? The short answer: to prevent skin cancers and ageing. The long answer- get comfy and let me tell you all about sunscreen.
Sunscreen is used to protect the skin against UV radiation. UV radiation comes from the sun and can be UVA or UVB. UV radiation causes damage to the skin. It does this by ageing it resulting in the dreaded wrinkles and saggy. It can also burn the skin leading to redness and delayed hyperpigmentation that is hard to treat. UV radiation can lead to skin cancer.
Sunscreen reduces the risk of skin cancer by preventing the damaging sunburn. It also prevents the worsening of dark spots and premature ageing. Yes, we’ll all eventually age but we want to do so gracefully and without saggy skin.
There are two groups of sunscreens available: Physical blockers and chemical blockers. They all contain UV filters. The physical blockers scatter, reflect and absorb UV rays. They contain zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Their advantage is that they work immediately and are less likely to cause allergies. Chemical blockers absorb UV rays. They need time to be absorbed and have a higher allergy potential. I personally like physical barriers.
With all that science out the way – let’s go into what you check for on the shelf before grabbing one. The SPF! This should be SPF 30 or higher. Broad spectrum UVA and UVB. It has to be both, A and B. Lastly, check if it’s water resistant. No use applying something that will get washed away by the first wave at the beach.
How much is enough? A simple guide is that 30 ml, a shot glass, is the amount needed to cover the sun exposed areas. Some use the teaspoon rule to simplify it. 1 teaspoon for the face and neck. 2 for the back, one for each arm and two again for the legs. Another quick way is the two-finger rule. Two strips of sunscreen are applied to the index and middle finger, you then apply that amount to all areas. each area is two strips.
Sunscreen is a year-round necessity. Summer, winter, autumn and spring – you just keep reapplying. Everybody has to use it and not just the fair skinned. Yes, melanin does provide some sun protection but not completely to prevent UV damage. The risks mentioned above, although less, are still there.
When you are going to spend a lot of time outside remember to always seek shade, wear a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, long sleeves and pants where possible. Apply sunscreen SPF 30 plus or higher that is broad-spectrum and water resistant and use the correct amount. Reapply every 2 hours or as often as possible. Select water resistant SPF’s that will wear longer. Carry sunscreen in your bag.
Compact SPF, stick SPF and brush on SPF are great for reapplying over make-up.
My top picks for sunscreen are the Cetaphil Sun Face Fluid SPF 50+, Heliocare 360 Gel Oil free SPF 50+, Eucerin Oil Control SPF 50+, Dermopal Moisturising Sunscreen SPF30+ .
Remember it’s easier, and most probably cheaper, to prevent now what might be difficult to correct later. Sunscreen! Everyday!
