If skin cancers don’t scare you yet, perhaps ageing skin might? Sun protection is essential to protecting our skin against skin cancers and ageing.
Sunscreens are one way to protect your skin from the damaging UV rays.
How do sunscreens work?
Well firstly, there are two types; Physical (mineral) or Chemical.
Chemical sunscreens work by absorbing the UV radiation caused by UV rays and convert this into a low level heat.
Physical sunscreens work by absorbing the UV radiation and causing it to scatter or reflect. These sunscreens tend to have ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
What does SPF mean?
An SPF rating identifies how long it will take for the suns UV rays to cause sunburn. Example is that an SPF 50 will take you 50 times longer to burn than if you weren’t wearing sunscreen. An SPF 50 blocks out 98% of UVR whilst SPF 30 blocks out 96.7%. Australia has very strict sunscreen standards and manufacturers are unable to claim “sunblock”, “water-proof” or “sweat proof”, rather can claim water resistance for up to 4 hours. The maximum SPF rating in Australia is 50+. All sunscreens must be approved by The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration and must be registered and compliant with the Australian Standards for sunscreens. The active ingredients and maximum concentrations must be approved as being both safe and effective.
How much sunscreen should I apply?
Sunscreen dosage on average for an adult is 35mL for one body application, which is equivalent to 1 teaspoon per arm and face and 2 teaspoon per leg, front torso and back.
Sunscreen should be applied 20 minutes prior to sun exposure and this is because the skin is made up of many peaks and troughs. 20minutes allows adequate time for the sunscreen to be absorbed and bind properly to the skin. It should then be reapplied every 2 hours or even more often if swimming and excessive sweating are occuring.
What else can I do to protect my skin?
Whilst sunscreen is the perfect starting point, relying solely on sunscreen is not a good idea. Hats, shade, sunglasses, and protective clothing. Staying out of direct sunlight during high UV times is also recommended, depending on your country and state these differ between seasons. But as a general rule 3 hours either side of midday is a good starting point.
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