Sunscreens: Why and How to use?

For a complete sun protection strategy, sunscreens play an important role. Sunscreens protect you and your family from sunburn, skin cancer, early skin aging and other risks of overexposure to the sun. However, applying sunscreen is not enough to save you from intense sun rays. It is recommended to follow some other tips like

Avoid going in sun during the time 11 AM to 3 PM when sun rays are at peak.

Wear long-sleeved shirts, pants clothes that cover skin exposed to the sun.

Use sunscreens with SPF 15 or higher.

Reapply sunscreen at least every two hours, and more often if you're sweating or jumping in and out of the water.

There is a procedure to apply sunscreen: Apply sunscreen 30minutes before going outside. This will help in better absorption of sunscreen into the skin. To cover the entire body and face use enough of sunscreen.

Everyone can use sunscreen except infants.

What does SPF stand in sunscreen?

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. This tells you how long the sun’s UVB rays would take to redden your skin if you apply the sunscreen exactly as directed compared with the amount of time without sunscreen. So, if you use an SPF 30 product properly, it would take you 30 times longer to burn than if you used no sunscreen.

The best practice is to apply 30 minutes before venturing outside to allow the sunscreen to bind to your skin. Reapply every two hours of exposure and immediately after swimming or excessive sweating.

Even when it’s cloudy, up to 80 percent of the sun’s UV radiation reaches the earth. Going unprotected on an overcast day can lead to skin damage.