Do your plans for this summer include a lot of fun in the sun? Whether youāll be swimming and lounging on a sandy beach or getting your steps outside on your daily walk, youāll need to be slathering on the sunscreen to protect your skin. The thing is, there are a lot of common misconceptions out there about the kind you need, how much and when you need it.
Stop believing these sunscreen myths now and your skin will thank you later.
- All sunscreen is the sameĀ - There are two main categories and they protect the skin in different ways. Chemical sunscreens absorb the sunās rays and convert them to heat, and physical or mineral sunscreens reflect the rays.
- Higher SPFs are betterĀ - SPF stands for sun protection factor, which measures how long a sunscreen protects against UVA and UVB rays. While youād think a higher number would give you more sun protection, itās not always the case. For example, SPF 50 blocks around 98% of UV rays, but SPF 100 only blocks 99%. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a Broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher and reapplying every two hours.
- Makeup with sunscreen is enough to protect your faceĀ - Makeup and moisturizer with SPF can add more sun protection to your face, but itās not enough on its own to replace sunscreen.
- Waterproof sunscreen doesnāt need to be reappliedĀ - Unfortunately, the experts at the American Academy of Dermatology warn thereāsĀ no such thing as waterproof sunscreen. Sweat and water will wash it away, so reapply it every two hours, even if you havenāt gotten in the water, and wait 10 to 15 minutes after you put it on before getting wet.
- You only need sunscreen when itās sunnyĀ - Even on a cloudy day, more thanĀ 90% of UV rays passĀ through clouds, so donāt skip the SPF.
- Sunscreen can lead to a vitamin deficiencyĀ - We need sunlight to make vitamin D, but no sunscreen blocks 100% of sun rays, so experts say youāll still get enough for the body to create vitamin D.
- Tans are fine as long as you donāt burnĀ - Having a base tan doesnāt protect the skin from sun damage. Any time you spend in the sun without sunscreen raises the risk of developing skin cancer.
- Sunscreen doesnāt expireĀ - The ingredients break down and become less effective over time, but the FDA reports that sunscreens are required to be effective for at least three years. Just look for the expiration date on the bottle and donāt store it in the car or direct sunlight, where it can get too hot.ā
Source:Ā CNET
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