Sunscreen and Sun-Protective Clothing
Sunscreen provides protection against sunburn, photo damage, and skin cancer. A large percentage of sun damage occurs before the age of 18, therefore, it is critical to protect your children as well as yourself. It is important to understand some basic facts about UV rays and sunscreen ingredients in order to choose the most beneficial product.
We recommend broad spectrum sunscreens that protect against UVA and UVB rays. The SPF or sun protection factor refers to the protection against the UVB or burning rays of the sun. It is based on the additional amount of time an individual can stay in the sun without burning when as adequate amount of sunscreen has been applied. For example, if you usually burn within 30 minutes without sunscreen, and you applied SPF 15 sunscreen prior to sun exposure, theoretically it would take 2 ½ hours before your skin would burn. SPF does not measure protection from UVA rays, which come through window glass and clouds and significantly contribute to sun damage and skin cancer.
Pick a sunscreen with an SPF of greater than 15. Since most people so not apply a thick, continuous layer of sunscreen, the “true” SPF is only about 50% of the SPF stated on the bottle. Sunscreen must be applied in an even coat, 15-30 minutes before sun exposure and massaged thoroughly into the skin. When swimming, reapply sunscreen every 2 hours even if it states that it is waterproof.
The following sunscreens are broad spectrum and contain one or several of the following ingredients: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, mexoryl, helioplex, parsol 1789(avobenzone).
Daily wear for the face and neck:
- Total Block –Clear SPF65, Tinted SPF60
- SkinCeuticals UV defense, SPF 20-45
- Estion SPF 38
- Ti-silc sheer SPF 45 tinted
- Anthelios products by La Roche-Posay, SPF 15-60+
Waterproof sunscreen for the beach, pool and sports:
- Solar Protection Formula SPF 58
- Blue Lizard SPF 30+
- Elta Gold UV Sport SPF 50
- Heliosol SPF 57 by Neutrogena
- Ultra Sheer SPF 55 Dry Touch Sunblock by Neutrogena
- Sol Bar Avo
Sun protective clothing is available from various companies including: Coolibar; www.coolibar.com and SunPrecautions; www.sunprecautions.com.
When considering sun protection from your everyday clothing, wear a hat – wide brimmed if possible. Clothing made from tightly woven fabric is better than a loose weave and dark colors are better than lightly colored garments.