10%

Sun Care

By Megan Jones

May 29^th, 2019

Sun Care

Since summer is around the corner, it’s time to talk sunscreen! This is a topic many people seem to be uneducated on or opposed to the idea. Many of our grandparents or even parents didn’t grow up wearing sun protection. And regardless if you burn or tan, EVERYONE needs sunscreen.

Watch this short video for insight on how the sun sees you.

Types of Ultraviolet Radiation

There are 2 types of ultraviolet radiation: UVA and UVB. What’s the difference?

UVA, because of its wavelength, penetrates deeper into the skin making it the primary cause of premature aging, wrinkling and hyperpigmentation. While the shorter wavelength of UVB is mainly responsible for burning skin.

A way to remember their difference is to think of the 'A' for aging and the 'B' for burning, but both can cause skin cancer and accelerate the aging process.

Types of Sunscreen

Sun shielding products fall into 2 general kinds: Absorbers, known as sunscreens, soak up UV rays and prevent them from reaching the skin. Reflectors, referred to as sunblocks, bounce back or scatter UV rays away from the skin.

Absorbers and reflectors are made with different chemical compounds, so find one you like best and works for your skin type!

How to Choose a Sunscreen

Sun Protection Factor – SPF is a measure of how effectively the sunscreen’s formula limits UVB exposure. The number means how much longer you can stay in the sun compared to not wearing sunscreen at all.

For example, if you normally burn without sunscreen in 30 minutes, the use of a SPF 15 means you could stay in the sun for 30 min x 15 = 450 minutes before burning.

Broad Spectrum – If you read above carefully, SPF indicates only UVB protection, so it's important to use sunscreens labeled Broad Spectrum. Broad Spectrum protects against both UVA and UVB exposure.