Sunscreen 101: What
to Buy & Why
As soon as summer starts to heat up, my patients ask the
million-dollar question: what kind of sunscreen do I recommend. I’m glad: it’s
an important question. And, in the off chance a patient doesn’t ask, I make
sure to bring it up in our consultation.
Not only does sunscreen help protect against skin cancer,
but sunscreen is your best defense against aging. Sun damage is the number one
cause of premature aging in women. Number
one. And truth be told, UVA rays (the ones that cause aging and skin
cancer) are constant throughout the year. So you should really be wearing sunscreen
every day in every season—not just the summertime.
The best sunscreens for the face contain zinc or titanium
dioxide which actually reflect the light off the skin and are better against
the some UVA aging rays that other chemical sunscreen do not block. I recommend Intellishade, an anti-aging
tinted moisturizer with broad-spectrum SPF 45 coverage that also works to
reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improve the skin’s
elasticity. I also recommend Blue Lizard, zinc oxide-based broad-spectrum sunscreens
available in a sport formula, sensitive and baby formulas, as well as a sunscreen/daily
moisturizer in one. We offer both brands at Refresh Wellness.
But let’s say you’re on vacation this summer and you need
some over-the-counter sunscreen. What should you look for? And when should you
apply it?
Broad Spectrum
The most important phrase to look for on a sunscreen label
is broad spectrum, which means that sunscreen protects against UVA (aging and wrinkle-causing
rays) and UVB (the burning rays). UVA rays penetrate the skin more deeply while
UVB rays damage the skin’s upper surface. Both can cause skin cancer.
SPF 15 or Higher
SPF means “sun protection factor.” Essentially SPF is a
rating system that tells you how long you can be “protected” from the sun. For
example: If it takes your unprotected skin 20 minutes to start turning red,
sunscreen with SPF 15 protects you for five hours—it prevents reddening 15
times longer. Sunscreen with SPF 30 offers 98% protection and anything above
that is only 2% better at most. I don’t recommend buying sunscreen with an SPF that’s
lower than 15.
Water-Resistant
Have you noticed that sunscreens are no longer “waterproof?”
That’s because sunscreen is (and has always been) water resistant at best, and
manufacturers must indicate “water resistance” on the label. If you’re
swimming, sweating, or playing in water, you have to have sunscreen with
water-resistance. And, you have to pay attention to how long the water-resistance
lasts. That information changes from brand to brand, so be sure to read the
label because reapplication is important.
When to Apply
Sunscreens containing Avobenzone, Oxybenzone (helioplex),
and Encamsule (Mexoryl) are more stable during sun exposure and provide greater
spectrum coverage. But, they must be applied at least 15 minutes before going
into the sun so they can absorb into the skin. Zinc- or titanium oxide-based
sunscreens can be applied just before exposure because those chemicals actually
reflect the light. You should use 1 ounce of sunscreen (enough to fill a shot
glass) with every application. Reapply as indicated on the label (approximately
every 2 hours) or immediately after swimming.
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