Reduce Wrinkles With These SPF Sunscreen Protection Tips

You probably already know that it’s never a good idea to go out into the sun without first protecting your exposed skin with a sunscreen. But you may be totally at a loss when it comes to identifying the differences among the dozens of sunscreens and sun blocks currently available!

But learning what those SPF initials stand for, and how you can make absolutely sure you are getting the amount of protection for which you are paying with some little known hints, will take no more than the time it takes you to read this article.

The sun protection factor, or SPF, of a specific sunscreen, is calculated according to an FDA-approved formula and is simply a measure of how long it would take you to get sunburned without using it the sunscreen as opposed to how long it will take if you use it.

If you are one of those fair skinned people who will begin turning pink after only twenty minutes in the sun when you don’t use sunscreen, and you find a sunscreen rated SPF 15, you can now stay in the sun for 300 minutes, or a full 5 hours, without burning. That is, of course, as long as you sunscreen stays on your skin!

And to make sure that your sunscreen remains active from the time you put it on until the time you call an end to your day in the sun, there are a few tips you should keep in mind.

Tip 1

Remember that if you are out during a time of day when the sun is at its strongest, between 10 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon, you will sunburn more quickly than at any other time. So it stands to reason that your SPF 15 sunscreen will not protect you as long as it will at any other time. You can get extended protection simply by using a sunscreen with a higher SPF factor. This also holds true if you are outdoors at a higher altitude than normal.

Tip 2

Also remember that the SPF rating given to your sunscreen is based on the assumption that you will be as generous in your application of it as the people on whom it was tested were. The international standard for application—yes, there really is one—is an amount of 2mg sunscreen for each square centimeter of skin.

Tip 3

Of course no one anxious to slap on the sunscreen and get outdoors is going to stop and take a measurement. But you may be very interested to know that research shows the real life standard of sunscreen application is only .39 mg per square centimeter of skin.

That’s less than 20% of what is established as the necessary amount to achieve the SPF protection advertised. You, in other words, should apply a layer of sunscreen about five times thicker than you are used to wearing, if you are like most of us.

Tip 4
Finally, you need to pick the right time to apply your sunscreen, and that is about fifteen to thirty minutes before you get outside. It takes that long for the skin to properly absorb the cream or lotion.

Tip 5

And while your sunscreen itself may indicate that you should reapply it at least every two or three hours, one UK study indicated that a second application fifteen to thirty minutes after the subjects were first exposed to the sun was necessary for them to receive optimal protection.

Of course, you should also reapply your sunscreen after you have been swimming, toweled down, or done anything else which might have removed it from your skin.

Tip 6

Choose a sunscreen which not only has the proper SPF rating, but also offers both UCA and UVB protection. Both kinds of ultraviolet rays can lead to skin aging and even cancer over time.

But the best sunscreen of all is your judgment. If you can schedule your outdoor time so that you are not in the sun when it is at its peak, and use both a hat and long sleeved top to protect your face, neck, and arms when you are outdoors, you won’t have to worry about the thickness of your sunscreen layers!

The final word? Avoid the sun when you can, protect yourself with the correct apparel when you can’t, and when you choose to enjoy a day of sun-filled activity, make sure you use an adequate amount of fully protective sunscreen, applied at the right times!

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