LESS KNOWN FACTS ABOUT SUNSCREEN CREAM

Summers are the perfect time for outdoor activities such as swimming, tracking, and going to the beach, in some parts of the world, children get summer vacations and entire families are out for excursions and activities.

With the joy, there come some problems with summer, one of the major issues is about protecting your skin from the summer sun. Sun contains harmful ultraviolet rays that damage skin tissues leaving it sunburned and with signs of aging.

If you are going to be spending a lot of time in the sun, be sure to also wear a hat and sunglasses. In the summertime, it’s always a good idea to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

Sun protection cream is a type of sunscreen that is applied to the skin to help protect it from the sun’s UV rays. It is available in both lotion and spray form and comes in a variety of SPF levels.

By using sun protection cream, you can help protect your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays. And, by taking a few simple precautions, you can help keep your skin healthy and looking its best all summer long. The benefits of using good quality sunscreen include prevention of

early skin aging (premature age spots, wrinkles, and sagging skin), prevention of skin cancer, and prevention of unwanted dark tanning.  

To reduce the effects of sun rays, there are many creams available in the market known as sunscreens. You would have heard a lot of terminology about sunscreens, we will decode them one by one in this article. Some of the questions that are commonly asked about sunscreen are as below

•  WHAT ARE UVA AND UVB
• WHAT DO SPF 15 AND SPF 30 MEAN
• WHAT IS WATER-RESISTANT SUNSCREEN
• FOR HOW LONG THE SUNSCREEN WORKS
• TYPE OF SUNSCREENS

o   BROAD SPECTRUM SUNSCREEN

o   CHEMICAL SUNSCREEN AND PHYSICAL SUNSCREEN

o   SPORTS SUNSCREEN

o   BABY SUNSCREEN

o   SENSITIVE SKIN SUNSCREEN

o   SUNSCREEN WITH INSECT REPELLENTS

UV RAYS AND UVA AND UVB: UV rays are well known now as ultraviolet rays, these rays are present in sunlight. The adverse effects of these rays depend on their intensity and time of exposure as well as the type of skin. Dark-skinned people have more resistance to these rays than light-skinned people.

UVA means Ultraviolet Ageing and UVB means Ultraviolet Burning. The rays that have an aging effect on our skin are called UVA and rays having burning effects are called UVB.

SPF: The full form of SPF is Sun Protective Factor. It is measured in numbers as SPF 15, 30, 40, 50, etc.  

As per the scientific studies, the UV blocking power of cream is as below

• ·     SPF 15 can block around 93% of UV rays
• ·     SPF 30 Can block 97% of UV rays

There is no cream available that can give 100% protection from the sun. The American Association of Dermatologists (AAD) recommends using a sunscreen of SPF more than 30.  

FOR HOW LONG A SUNSCREEN CREAM PROTECT: A sunscreen under normal conditions should be reapplied after every 2 hours, in case if you are swimming or using water, having too much sweating, or are wiping your skin, you must re-apply it after 40 minutes.

TYPE OF SUNSCREENS:

BROAD SPECTRUM SUNSCREEN: You would have seen that some sunscreens write broad spectrum words on them. This means that these sunscreens protect our skin from both UVA as well as UVB rays.

CHEMICAL SUNSCREEN AND PHYSICAL SUNSCREEN: Chemical sunscreens protect your skin by absorbing UV rays. They might contain ingredients such as oxybenzone or avobenzone. The physical sunscreens protect by reflecting the UV rays, these contain titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide as main ingredients.

SPORTS SUNSCREEN: Although FDA (Federal Drug Administration) does not define anything like Sports Sunscreen, but sports sunscreens are generally water-resistant sunscreens that will stay on your skin for 40-80 minutes under sweaty conditions. If you are a sportsperson, you can use these while practicing outdoors. However, you will need to re-apply them after every 40 minutes if you are sweating or using a towel to wipe the sweat.

BABY SUNSCREEN: FDA does not define baby sunscreen, but in general it means the sunscreen contains only titanium dioxide and zinc oxide as active ingredients. These chemicals are less likely to irritate a baby’s skin.

For children under 6 months of age, do not use any sunscreen. You can use shades, clothes, or umbrellas to protect them. For children above 6 months, you can use baby sunscreen.  

Even when using sunscreen, the best is to protect children by keeping them in shade and using dresses that protect their skin from the sun, i.e., long-sleeved shirts, pants, and wide-brimmed hats.

SENSITIVE SKIN SUNSCREEN: These are made for sensitive skin and contain less irritating chemicals. These are milder than the normal ones but are more suitable if your skin is allergic to certain substances.

SUNSCREEN WITH INSECT REPELLENTS: Some sunscreens come with insect repellent chemicals in them, these might be suitable for outdoor excursions and parks, etc, but are generally not recommended. The sunscreens and insect repellents should be used separately as the sunscreens are more likely to be reapplied frequently than the insect repellents.

Conclusion

Sun protection cream can help protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays. It is important to apply sunscreen every day, even if it is cloudy or cool outside. Sunscreen should be applied to all exposed skin, including the nose, lips, and ears.

I hope this article would have given you an insight into the world of sunscreen, what are the terms used to define them, and how to use them. 

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