Sunblock and SPF
For most people (and especially women), a trip to the beach usually brings up thoughts of the sun.
While basking seems like a good idea, many of them are usually concerned about their skin. After all, too much sun brings about premature wrinkles not to mention painful sunburn. Women want to avoid that, so they turn to products like sunscreen and sunblock to avoid the hassle of burnt skin.
Sunscreen and sunblock both protect the skin from the sun’s dangerous rays, the ones that result in skin cancer and unsightly spots. But the two are not the same, contrary to what people who like interchanging them think. Sunblock refers to the skin products that do not allow rays to push past them to reach the skin. On the other hand, sunscreen works by absorbing the sun’s ultraviolet rays so that fewer rays reach the skin’s surface. Different sunscreen products protect the skin to varying extents- that’s why they have different SPF ratings.
How to use SPF Sunscreen
Water resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or 30 is the best for most skin types, with the latter being the most suitable for sensitive skin. Here is how to make the most of sunscreen:
- Apply it about half an hour before heading out
- Apply about one ounce of sunscreen on your body before going out to the sun
- Put the sunscreen on after every 2 hours of exposure to the sun. Depending on the amount of sunscreen you use and the intensity of the sun, you made to reapply it more often
- When you sweat, or just swim and dry out, reapply it
When properly used, sunscreen offers as much protection as the SPF ratings. A 15 SPF sunscreen will allow you to stay in the sun up to 15 times longer than you normally would before you start burning up.
Pros of Sunscreen
- They prevent skin cancer
- They are good for lessening skin damage and aging
Cons
- They’re expensive
- Some of the clog pores and cause acne as a result
- Some SPF ingredients are potentially harmful e.g. oxybenzone
- After applying them, you have to wait before heading to the pool
