05
May
How to find the most suitable sunscreen for you and how to apply it in a right way.
Hot summer is here. Don't forget to put a sunscreen on before going out. But wait!! There are lots of choices of sunscreens in a drugstore, which one is right for you? Let us tell you how to find the most suitable one for your lifestyle and how to apply it in a right way.
What Are Sunscreens?
Sun contains UV that damages our skins and increases our risks of skin cancer. Sunscreens help prevent UV from reaching our skins. Even we have Melanin, an effective absorber of light, in our skin. But it is not enough. Also we may have different concentration of Melanin in our skins. The more pale your skin is, the less is the concentration of Melanin in your skin.
What Is SPF?
SPF stands for "Sun Protection Factor". The values of SPF indicates how long it takes you to get burnt by the sun's UV radiation. For examples, SPF 30 means that with sunscreen lotion on, it will take 30 hours to produce a detectable burn on a person who gets sunburnt in an hour. To figure out how long you can stay in the sun with a given SPF, use below equation. Please do note that this equation is not always correct because many factors (e.g. the amount of sunscreen you applied, the intensity of sunlight and skin color) affect the accuracy. Please take it as a reference.
Minutes to burn without sunscreen x SPF number = maximum sun exposure time
Wait a minute!!! Does it mean SPF30 sunscreen provide twice as much protection as SPF15 one? The answer is "NO".The difference in protection is only 1/15 - 1/30 (roughly 3%).
Wait a minute!!! Does it mean SPF30 sunscreen provide twice as much protection as SPF15 one? The answer is "NO".The difference in protection is only 1/15 - 1/30 (roughly 3%).
Suggestions
Ok then, there is the question: "How do I choose my sunscreen?".- Use SPF 15 or above sunscreen is recommended in your daily life. Re-apply it after an hour.
- If you are in the sun all day, recommend to use a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. Re-apply it after sweating / swimming or every one hour.
- Apply an adequate amount of sunscreen. Apply 1/4 teaspoon sunscreen lotion on your face. For a person who has 150 pounds, apply a full 1 ounce sunscreen to the entire body.
- Please always read the product guideline before use because products are made by different ingredients.
- For any question, it is strongly recommended you to consult your doctor first before apply.
- Apart from the use of sunscreen lotion, you can stay in the shade, use an umbrella, wear long-sleeved and loose-fitting clothing, wear a broad brim hat and wear uv blocking sunglasses.
