Summers are around the corner, and sunscreens are once again the talk of the town. But have you ever wondered what these things really are?
Let’s start from the basics. Sun rays have ultraviolet radiation, which is invisible to our eyes, but these are a true fear for our skin, as out of all the rays the sun passes, the UV rays cause sunburns and even carcinoma! But no need to worry, as sunscreens have got our back.
Sunscreens are of two types based on their function.
Physical blockers: contain minerals such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide ground into fine particles. These minerals sit on the surface of the skin and reflect UV rays away from your skin, just like a shield protecting us from millions of missiles being fired towards us.
Chemical sunscreens:
Chemical sunscreen ingredients form a thin protective film that absorbs UV radiation before it penetrates the skin. Sunscreen products that contain chemical absorbers are sometimes called organic sunscreens.
Both these types of sunscreens have their pros and cons, as physical ones generally do not react with the skin but might leave back a greasy white layer, and chemical ones might cause irritation to a few.
The best sunscreens to follow are usually UVA + UVB, water-resistant, and with an SPF of at least 30
In the next post, let us know more about SPF and the right ways to use sunscreens
Stay Tuned!!
Sunscreen and their efficacy are generally marked by SPF, considering the more the better, but what is SPF??
SPF is the Sun Protection Factor. It works as an indicator of its efficacy against the UVB rays of the sun. SPF refers to the amount of UV radiation it takes to produce sunburn when wearing sunscreen in comparison to how much UV exposure it takes for unprotected skin to get sunburned.
SPF measures the quantity of UV radiation, not exposure time. This is because the intensity of solar energy varies throughout the day. For example, you can get roughly the same amount of UV radiation between 9 and 10 a.m. as you would in 15 minutes of early afternoon sun.
Thus, wearing higher SPF sunscreen does not mean being protected for a longer duration. The efficacy highly depends on the reapplication of the sunscreen. It is also said that while going out, at least a shot glass amount of sunscreen must be lathered on, and then an SPF 30 can go well too.
SPF 30 blocks 97% of UV rays, and SPF 50 blocks 98%, but higher SPF offers only small extra protection.
Do you wear sunscreen or think it’s not really necessary?
MBH/PS
started after multiple failed attempts of friend forcing me to use it,)and after reading your post i leard about spf 30 and 50, till now i thought more spf more protection.