Sunscreen
Sunscreens provide excellent sun protection for children
and adults. Sunscreen lotions filter the sun's UV light
and allow for extended sun exposure. The effectiveness of
sunscreen is measured with the
sun protection factor
(SPF), a measure of the products ability to absorb UVB
rays. Generally the SPF for a sunscreen indicates how much
longer an individual can stay in the sun before burning.
Sunscreen differs from sunblock in that sunscreen absorbs
UV light, whereas
sunblock
reflects UV light. That is, sunscreen contains UVA and UVB
chemical absorbers. The common UVA absorbers are oxybenzone,
sulisobenzone, and avobenzone (Parsol 1789); and the common
UVB absorbers are salicylate and cinnamate. These chemicals
react with and absorb UV light after the lotion is applied.
(Learn More)
The most important factor in choosing the best sunscreen is
finding one which provides broad spectrum protection. This
means the sunscreen protects against both UVA rays and UVB
rays. In addition an SPF of 15 or higher is recommended and
a sunscreen which is waterproof, water-resistant, or
sweat-proof is mandatory beach gear.
There are also many specialty sunscreen products available,
including:
scalp sunscreen,
hair sunscreen, and infant sunscreen.
For sunscreens to work their best they should be applied liberally
15-20 minutes before sun exposure, this is a result of the chemical
nature of the product. Afterwards sunscreens should be reapplied
every two hours or after the lotion has been rubbed or washed off.
Learn how to get the most out of your sunscreen.
Sunscreen products are not intended as tanning lotions and should
instead be used to complement other sun safety measures. Sun safety
measures such as: staying out of the sun between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
when the sun is most intense, regularly seeking shade, and using
clothing to cover sensitive skin. Keep in mind the sun protection
of clothes is very low and SPF of clothing is close to 6 or 8
depending on the fabric. I encourage you to seriously consider
wearing sunscreen under you clothes to ensure protection.
Personally I use sunscreen for it's intended purpose, as a complement
to other sun safety measures. I leave my tanning to the
tanning beds
where I can control the intensity and duration of UV exposure.
Indoor tanning
is also nice in that I enjoy the convenience of tanning at any hour
of the day, I can tan "in the buff" so I have no
tan lines,
and it's a speedy 10 to 25 minute visit.
