In the world of skincare, sunscreen lotion is very essential. Whether it is along the seashore or just a few minutes out of the house, the safety of the skin from cancerous UV rays becomes the need of the hour.
Understanding UV Rays: The Guilty Behind the Aging Skin
Before we delve into how sunscreen works, it’s important to understand what we’re up against: – UV rays. These rays, emitted by the sun, come in two main types: UVA and UVB- these two small letters hold so much weight.
There is no denying that UVA rays can permeate the skin, which causes the skin to age prematurely, causing wrinkles and the appearance of other sun damage. While the UVB rays, which mostly help in making the skin tanned, also cause sunburns and lead to an increased risk of skin cancer.
The Role of Sunscreen
Sunscreen works as a shield that sits between your skin and harmful UV rays. The cream has active components that either absorb or deflect these rays, thereby intercepting and preventing these rays from penetrating the skin and creating damage.
1. Absorption vs.Reflection
One pivotal ingredient in sunscreens, avobenzone and octocrylene, act as a filter to UV radiation by converting it into heat, which is less harmful. Chemical or organic filters are what these are generally called.
Some sunscreens, for example, zinc and zinc oxide, function by reflecting UV rays away from the skin. In this way, these substances form a physical barrier that is positioned above the skin surface and does not allow both UVArays as well as UVB rays to get through.
2. SPF: Sun Protection Factor
Here we have the Sun Protection Factor, or SPF, for short, which is an abbreviation representing the degree sunscreen can shield from UVB rays. It tells us how long it takes for UVB rays to redden the skin under the usage of sunscreen compared to not using any sunscreen.
But again, let us consider that the common burning after 10 minutes is the case while sunscreen is not applied; therefore, by applying a sunscreen with SPF 30, theoretically, you can stay in direct sunlight for 300 minutes; that’s 30 times longer (300 minutes). Thus, it’s significant to bear in mind that SPF solely evaluates protection against UVB rays but UVA rays.
Applying Sunscreen: Best Practices
After this, we have a quick understanding of how sunscreen lotions work; let us now dig into the ultimate question, which is how to use them properly for optimum protection.
- Apply Generously: Pat yourself with being careful with sunscreen. Take a generous amount and apply it to the skin, including the face, the back of the neck, ears, and any area beneath clothing, like the back of the neck.
- Reapply Regularly: Sunscreen efficacy fades notably more on account of sweating or swimming as the day goes by. Use it every two hours or more often if the time is longer or you are up in the hot sun.
- Use Sunscreen Lotion for Men: Don’t forget that even men deserve to have the right UV protection because sunscreen doesn’t care about your gender. Men need protection, too. Look for sunscreen lotion for men that is infused with serums and ingredients that address men’s skin demands.
The Final Words
Sunscreen is a crucial topic in the protection of the skin from UV radiation exposure. Enlisting sunscreen application knowledge that involves the best practices will give you more chances of having the sun during the summer while reducing your chances of sunburn, premature aging as well as skin cancer. In fact, sunscreen lotions must be considered as your best friend if possible.
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