What Is In Sunscreen And How Does It Protect Your Skin
Skin Cancer is a common disease that is thought to develop when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays. Depending on the type of skin, this exposure can be limited and still lead to the development of some form of skin cancer. Fair skin that burns easily in the Sun is particularly vulnerable. As the Sun is the leading source of Ultraviolet (UV) radiation that people are regularly exposed to it is important to protect yourself when in the Sun. This article will list the common methods that can help prevent skin cancer. It will concentrate on Sunscreen and how it works to protect your skin.
The first thing to point out is that sunscreen should never be seen as the only thing you can do to limit your exposure to sunlight. It should be used in conjunction with some of the points mentioned below.
The best way to avoid UV radiation over exposure is to avoid sunlight when it is at it’s strongest. Unsurprisingly, this is the period when it is at it’s highest point in the sky, around mid day. Twelve noon is the worst time and the few hours around this time are also bad. Stay out of the sun during these times. If this cannot be done then take precautions.
Wear clothing that can protect your skin form sunlight. Darker colored clothing works better than lighter colors. cover your arms and legs if practical or comfortable.
Wear a hat when in the sun. This will protect your scalp, face and eyes from UV rays. A wide brimmed hat is best as it provides more protection. Other people use a sun umbrella but a hat is better.
Wear UV protective sunglasses as the eyes can also be damaged by UV rays.
After you have done these things you should then consider wearing sunscreen. Cover the parts of your body that are not covered by clothing. Some advise to cover the arms and legs with sunscreen even if they are covered by clothings as you might roll up your sleeves and it doubles the protection.
There are two general types of sunscreens. Chemical sunscreens work by absorbing UV rays. Physical sunscreens work by reflecting UV rays (or blocking them, hence the name sunblock that is sometimes used).
A way to determine the effectiveness of a sunscreen is to look at it’s Sun Protection Factor (SPF). The popular recommendation in this respect is to always go for an SPF of 30+. SPF pertains to the ability to protect the skin from UVB radiation that is thought to be the worst form of radiation for sun burn and skin cancer. However, it does not protect against UVA radiation, which researchers feel can be just as dangerous as UVB. Products that are known as Broad Spectrum sunscreens protect against both UVB and UVA rays.
Sunscreens that act as a sunblock are best if you have to spend plenty of time out in the Sun. No doubt you have seen people wearing such creams on the nose or lips. It is almost like a paint that they have applied to the skin. This puts many people off using such creams but they are the best way to protect your skin from the Sun.
Sunblock creams will consist of either titanium dioxide or zinc oxide (and are sometimes called zinc cream). If you don’t fancy having a band of white cream covering your nose then an alternative is ultramicronized titanium or zinc sunscreens. They act in the same way as a sunblock but the cream is clear and is not obvious on the face.
Another aspect of sunscreen is that it will only last for around 2 hours so you must always reapply it after this time limit. It may be even shorter if you are very active or are swimming. You should also apply it before you go into the Sun and not once you are in it for obvious reasons but people often don’t do this.
