Whether you are outdoors for recreational or work purposes, repeated sun exposure will have its natural consequences for your skin.
Regardless of color, skin that is repeatedly exposed to the sun tends to become tough and thick. Beyond mid-adulthood, results can include wrinkled and leathery skin.
Regardless of the circumstances of sun exposure, selecting a sunscreen product that offers some degree of protection against the sun’s ultraviolet rays can be one way to protect your skin from these effects of aging.
Due to the variety and range of sunscreen products available, here are some basic factors to consider when making a proper selection:
1. Ingredients:
Sunscreen products can be made with ingredients to protect against UVA rays and / or other ingredients to protect against UVB rays (which are in fact more harmful to sunburn than UVA rays). The best products offer ingredients for protection against UVA and UVB rays. Also consider the actual ingredient list. (That is, are they naturally derived / safe or do they contain potentially harmful chemicals?).
2. SPF (sun protection factor):
The SPF number on the product label refers to the strength of the protection, and the amount of time that a sunscreen product will allow your skin to be in the sun without burning, relative to the amount of time that the skin is naked (or the skin without the product). applied) would burn or redden.
In short, the SPF number tells people how much longer they can last in the sun with skin protection, without getting burned. The higher the SPF number, the longer the period of protection against the sun.
For example, let’s say that ‘Joe’, a young student, would normally burn after 12 minutes of being in the sun. You apply a sunscreen, also known as sunscreen, with an SPF of 15. This means it should be fine for 15 times your average protection time. In other words, ‘Joe’ would be protected for up to 3 hours. Here is the formula to calculate: 12 minutes x 15 SPF = 180 minutes (3 hours).
(Now, if ‘Joe’ applies a sunscreen with an SPF of 30, he will be protected for up to 6 hours. For example, 12 minutes X 30 SPF = 360 minutes (6 hours)).
3. Skin type:
When selecting a sunscreen, it is important to consider different skin types and how they react to sun exposure.
Young Children: For ages 6 months and older, consider a product with SPF 15 or higher to protect against tanning and burns. Also consider a product label that lists protection against UVA and UVB rays (also known as the “broad spectrum”).
Skin Type: Very Light – This skin usually burns quickly. Tanning is rare. Consider sunscreen products that contain SPF 20-30.
Skin Type: Fair – This skin almost always burns easily. Some tanning may occur, although not much. Consider sunscreen products that contain SPF 12-20.
Skin Type: Fair – This skin burns in a moderate range. Tanning is normally gradual and produces a light brown hue. Consider sunscreen products that contain SPF 8-12.
Skin Type – Medium: This skin burns in the minimum range. Tanning occurs most of the time, producing a moderate shade of brown. Consider sunscreen products that contain SPF 4 to 8.
Skin Type: Dark – This skin rarely burns. Tanning happens in a big way, producing a dark brown hue. Consider sunscreen products that contain SPF 2 to 4.
Skin Type – Other: This skin includes people with moles (or whose close blood relative has a history of moles), people with skin cancer in their family history (including melanoma), and people with very fair skin and hair. As this is a high risk category for health damage from excessive UV exposure, consider using sunscreen products with the highest SPF available, combined with mild to moderate sun exposure.
Once you have selected the most suitable sun protection product, and regardless of your skin type, apply your sunscreen “before” going out into the sun. To ensure the best possible UV protection, the sunscreen product should also be spread fairly thick and evenly over all areas of the skin that will be exposed to UV rays.
Whatever your current circumstances and your options for getting out in the sun, taking proper care of your skin “now” will help determine healthier, younger-looking skin in the future.
