Summer Essentials
There’s a lot of confusion around what sunscreen or sunblock we should use, what is the difference between the two?
Sunscreens are chemically based products that absorb and filter UV rays to prevent them penetrating the skin. They protect mostly against UVB rays.
A sunblock on the other hand creates a protective coating or barrier on the skin that reflects the sun’s rays. These products use ingredients such zinc oxide and or titanium dioxide and offer more broad spectum protection.
We hear a lot about UVB and UVA what is the difference?
UVB (burning rays) are the shorter rays that penetrate the outer layers of your skin. They cause sunburn and skin cancers and they are are heavist during the summer months, particularly between 10am and 4pm..
UVA (tanning and ageing rays) are longer rays that penetrate deeper into the skin. They cause skin ageing ( wrinkles, brown blotchy skin, loss of elasticity) and can also be responsible for causing aggressive skin cancers
What people often don’t know, is that UVA rays are more abundant year round and can penetrate through glass and cloud. For example: we see more sun damage to the skin on the right hand side of the face and on the back of the right hand and this is caused by UVA rays which penerate the glass of the car window while we are driving.
The easiest way to remember the difference between UVB and UVA, is to think B for burning and A for ageing.
Don’t most sunscreens these days protect against uvb and uva?
Most say they do, but in fact protect mainly against UVB rays and only stop a small amount of UVA, and so leave a lot of UVA unprotected against. The best true broad spectrum ingredient is zinc oxide.
So should we wear sunscreen everyday?
Yes definitely, for areas that are exposed to sunlight, such as the face, neck and the backs of hands. We tend to think of sunblock as a summer only necessity, but this is simply not the case.
What does the SPF Factor actually mean?
It stands for Sun Protection Factor and it relates to burn time. It gives an indication of how long we can be in the sun without burning. So for example: if your burn time without any protection is 15 minutes and you correctly apply an SPF 10 sunscreen your new burn time will be 150 minutes, or 15 miniutes multiplied by 10.
Think of it as a sunburn protection factor rather than a sun protection factor. Because unless a product contains ingredients which protect against UVA rays, it will only stop burning and your skin may still be receiving significant sun damage.
So what are the best ingredients? Some people say we should steer clear of chemically based sunscreens?
The best ingredients are zinc, because it really does offer the best overall UVB and UVA protection, and titanium dioxide. Both of which are non-chemical ingredients.
Chemical based sunscreens can cause allergic reactions for some people and many don’t cover enough UVA.
What sunscreens or blocks do you recommend?
Elta MD sun products all contain zinc, are all paraben free, and contain products to suit all skin types and lifestyles. They even have a product specifically designed for acne prone skin containing ingredients that actually help to treat acne.
Ideally people should have several products (for body, for beach and for everyday use under make up).Look for products that contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, and particularly for the face, find a product that you like the look and feel of, that way you know you will wear it everyday.
Call 095295784 to book a free consultation at Prescription Skin Care. We can discuss your sunscreen needs and prescribe the best solution for your skin type, activity and budget.
