The weather man tells you it’s going to be an overcast day, the sky covered with clouds and with minimal sunlight peeking through. Some people would take their chances and skip out on slathering sun protection. Don’t! The sun’s harmful rays can still penetrate even through cloudy weather and cause sun damage. Learn why you should stay protected in this quick guide all about sunscreen and whether or not you need a high SPF.
What is Sunscreen and SPF?
Sunscreen, also called sun block or suntan lotion, is a topical product that is applied onto skin to block some of the sun’s UV rays and prevent sunburn. It does so either by reflecting the light (physical sunscreen) or absorbing UV light (chemical sunscreen)
Sunscreens offer protection against UVB radiation, which is responsible for causing skin cancers and sun burn. A broad-spectrum sunscreen has protection not only against UVB but also UVA rays, which is the primary cause of photodamage or sun damage.
Beauty Benefits of Sunscreen
Studies show that regular and religious use of sunscreen can help prevent premature aging caused by the sun’s UVA rays. UVA radiation robs the skin of its natural elasticity, so constant exposure to the sun may lead to sagging, wrinkly skin.
When your skin is exposed to the sun’s harmful rays, it also overcompensates and tries to protect itself by creating more melanin, which appears as hyperpigmentation like sun spots, freckles or melasma.
Do You Need a High SPF?
SPF or sun protection factor, is a laboratory measure of how effective a sunscreen is. A high SPF means high protection against radiation.
Today, there are many products available in the market that boasts an impressive SPF number, with some even going as high as SPF 70 or even SPF 100. While you may think that this will protect you from the sun longer than a SPF 15 product will, it actually won’t! You can’t stay out in the sun longer with a higher SPF product than with a lower SPF product.
A SPF 15 sunscreen filters out 93% of UVB rays, SPF 30 cuts out about 97% and SPF 50 blocks about 98%. Any higher than that would only amount to a marginal difference, which may be ridiculous as it doesn’t really have any additional benefit.
Typically, everyone should use SPF 15 everyday, and if you’ve had a history of skin cancer, an SPF of 30 to 45 should be sufficient.
How to Use Sunscreen
Regardless of how low or high the SPF on a product is, you must always re-apply every two hours. No sunscreen is completely waterproof so if you are going to the pool or beach, re-apply every time you get in the water. Sunscreen is most effective when applied 30 minutes before actually going out in the sun.
In our quick guide all about sunscreen, we hope you now have the answer to the question of whether you need a high SPF or not. Hats, clothing and umbrellas also have SPF, so try to cover up even on cloudy days!
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