Experts share tips on sunscreen and its effectiveness

Different types of sunscreenThere are two types of sunscreens chemical sunscreens also called sunscreen and physical sunscreens known as sunblocks Chemical sunscreens absorb the suns harmful ultraviolet rays while physical sunscreens reflect themPhysical sunscreens act as a shield and reflect both UVA and UVB light and contain ingredients such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide while the chemical sunscreens have avobenzone and benzophenone Chemical sunscreens often contain UVBabsorbing chemicals only however there are some chemical sunscreens that contain both UVB and UVA absorbersWhich sunscreen should you usegtgt It depends on how sensitive your skin is how dryoily your skin is history of previous skin diseases and activity undertakengtgtIf you have fair skin that burns easily choose a sunscreen that covers UVA and UVB with a higher SPF30gtgtIf you have skin that tans easily a broad spectrum of sunscreen with an intermediate SPF1530 worksgtgtIf you have dark pigmented skin and dont have sensitivity to sunlight sunscreen with a lower SPF is suitablegtgtIf you have dry skin choose sunscreen with a moisturising base If you have oily skin choose sunscreen with an aqueous basegtgtIf you plan to have an activity outdoors choose a water resistant sunscreengtgtPatients with oily skin or conditions such as acne should avoid products containing preservatives or fragrances as well as those containing PABA or oxybenzone Oily skin types may find gel formulas which contain alcohol more drying and less likely to aggravate acnegtgtAcneprone patients should avoid greasy sunscreens thick emulsionbased sunscreens or high SPF sunscreens since they exacerbate breakoutsgtgtDry skin can benefit from moisturising sunscreens or thick emulsionbased sunscreensWhat is SPFgtgtSPF or Sun Protection Factor is the measure of effectiveness of the sunscreen Higher the SPF greater the protection against ultraviolet lightgtgtSPF is the amount of UV radiation required to cause sunburn with sunscreen on Many people believe that the numbers mentioned like SPF 25 are the number of hours the skin is protected which is untrue as SPF is related to the amount of exposure and not timegtgtSPF is a measure of how well the sunscreen deflects UVB rays and not UVA rays Manufacturers calculate SPF based on how long it takes to sunburn skin treated with sunscreengtgtIf not applied thoroughly it might be washed off during swimming Rather than looking at SPF choose a broadspectrum sunscreen that protects from UVA and UVB raysDo sunscreens affect Vitamin D absorptiongtgt Sunscreen use does not affect Vitamin D absorption or production in daily routine This is mainly due to inadequacies in their application to the skin Most individuals apply only on the sunexposed areas and not the full body area daily Further no sunscreen provides absolute protection and some UV rays still pass throughgtgtVitamin D is not absorbed through the skin rather the UV rays from the sun when absorbed through the skin help in the production of Vitamin D Only a short duration of sun exposure in the range of 30 minutes is needed to produce enough Vitamin D Moreover casual exposure to sunlight before 10 am and after 5 pm can provide sufficient UV rays for stimulation of Vitamin D productiongtgtWhen having prolonged sun exposure especially between 10 am5 pm it is suggested that sunscreen is used as the chances of sunburns are higherThe importance of sunscreengtgtSunlight has UVA and UVB rays that act differently on the skingtgtUVA does not cause sunburn but causes changes in DNA of cells that can cause cancer like MelanomagtgtUVB damages the superficial level of the skin causing sunburns and can cause cancer Ingredients in the sunscreen absorb highenergy ultraviolet rays and release the energy as lowerenergy rays thereby preventing sun damagegtgt On exposure to direct sunlight skin produces a brown pigment called melanin which creates a suntan This is already present in pigmented skin darker people Melanin has the same effect as that of a good sunscreen Lighter skinned people have less of melanin and are prone to use sunscreen of higher SPFDos and donts DosgtgtLook for the presence of zinc titanium dioxide and avobenzone that are powerful UVA blockers do not get absorbed and remain on the skin surfacegtgtUse a sunscreen with SPF 1530 daily You should use SPF 30 only if you plan to stay in the sun for an extended periodgtgtChoose a sunscreen that has a broadspectrum of protection from both UVA and UVB rays and lasts longergtgtGet a test dose of a small amount of sunscreen on little children and infantsgtgtApply generous amounts of sunscreen to dry skin 30 minutes before you go outdoors Use sunscreen on all skin surfaces that will be exposed to the sun If you dont have much hair on your head apply sunscreen to the top of your head or wear a hat Reapply sunscreen every two hours mdash and immediately after swimming or heavy sweatinggtgtSand water snow and concrete reflect sunlight and make it even more important to use sunscreenDontsgtgtDont choose a product that may affect hormones and may be potentially carcinogenic such as oxybenzonegtgt Dont waste money on sunscreens claiming an SPF higher than 50 Theres no evidence that such products provide better protectiongtgtDont forget to reapply after 23 hours as towels and clothes can easily rub off sunscreensgtgtDont use a spray sunscreen as although convenient these sprays make it easy to miss spots or apply too little Furthermore sprays can be easily inhaled and can contain toxic ingredientsSunscreen for mengtgtThe sun causes the same damage to the male skin as it would to a female skin namely sunburns age changes and skin cancers It is vital for men to apply sunscreens just as women or children dogtgtRegular sunscreens work well for men A few important points would be use of spraygel forms of sunscreens for hairy areas of the body like the chest scalp thick beard areas and lotionemulsion for other areas