The Importance Of Wearing Sunscreen Daily
Most of us think sunscreen is essential to prevent sunburn and damage during the summer. In fact, we need to wear it all year round. This is because ultraviolet rays are always present, and they can damage your skin and even cause skin cancer. In addition, the clouds do not block UV rays. So even if the sun is not shining, you need to apply sunscreen to reduce the chances of sunburn. Read on to learn about the UV rays, how they damage the skin and what ingredients you should be looking for in a sunscreen.
What are UV Rays?
The sunlight that reaches us consists of two harmful rays. The long waves are the UVA, and the short waves are the UVB.
UVA causes premature ageing of the skin, while UVB is responsible for sunburn. A broad-spectrum sunscreen protects against UVA and UVB rays. Water-resistant Sunscreen is best for summers because the summer activities revolve around water and sweating.
The Right Ingredients in a Sunscreen
Sunscreens come with different ingredients that protect against UV rays, so your skin absorbs minimum radiation. The components fall into two categories.
- Chemical Sunscreen- acts like a sponge that absorbs sun rays. Examples may include avobenzone, oxybenzone, and octisalate.
- Physical sunscreen- is also known as mineral sunscreen. It acts as a shield that reflects sun rays. Examples include zinc oxide and titanium oxide.
Zinc oxide provides high protection against UVA and UVB, while titanium oxide is effective against UVA but does not provide enhanced protection against UVB. Just to remind you, UVA can pass through a glass window, but UVB cannot.
Zinc Oxide is The Gold Standard Ingredient
Zinc Oxide is currently the most recommended ingredient in sunscreen. It is deemed safe by the FDA and offers superior protection against harmful sun rays. Your skin does not absorb it as it stays on top of your skin and forms a protective coat.
What is SPF?
SPF is the sun protection factor. It measures the protection against sunburn from UVB rays. The number of SPF tells you how long it will take for UVB to burn your skin. For example, if you use a skincare product with SPF 30, it will take 30 times longer than if you didn’t wear sunscreen. It is important to note that SPF protects against UVB only, so always use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium oxide for maximum sun protection.
How to Apply Sunscreen
You should apply sunscreen every two hours every day, regardless of spending time indoors or outdoors. Apply it for at least 20-30 minutes before you step outside in the direct sunlight. You can pair it up with a vitamin C serum that is very helpful in fighting the free radicals, fading the signs of ageing, and brightening the skin complexion. When you are outside, do not rely only on sunscreen; try to stay in the shade and wear hats, sunglasses, and protective clothes.
Some Other Interesting Facts
- Did you know that you should apply your sunscreen before your moisturizer?
- If you use several skin care products, always apply the thinnest product first, then gradually increase thickness. The thickest product should be last.
- Sunscreen is very unlikely to make you vitamin D deficient.
