Sunblock Vs Sunscreen

Today, skin problems due to its exposure to the sun has become very high. Exposing one's skin to the harmful rays of the sun can give rise to problems like sunburn, premature aging and sometimes even, skin cancer. Hence, it has become extremely important for people to use lotions that protect their skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun. However, most people believe that sunblock and sunscreen are the names of the same product which helps in protecting the skin from the sun's UV rays. However, contrary to popular belief, sunblock and sunscreen are the names of two different products and protects the skin from the sun in different ways. In a similar way, the effectiveness of both these products are different too. Hence, it is important to know about the difference between sunblock and sunscreen before you invest in one of them.

Sunblock and Sunscreen: Which is Better?

The reason why people should know the difference between sunblock and sunscreen is to make it easier for them to opt for one that suits their skin as well as requirements. In this discussion, I will also mention the ingredients of each one of these, so that if you are allergic to any of them, you can opt for the other alternative. So, here are few things that you ought to know about sunblock and sunscreen.

What is Sunblock?
Sunblock, as the name suggests is the lotion that blocks the UV rays of the sun from penetrating the skin. The sunblock ingredients are mainly zinc oxide and titanium oxide which not only protects the skin from the sun's UVB rays, but also from its UVA rays. The best thing about sunblock is that it does not contain any chemicals and hence, can be used by people who have very sensitive skin. Due to this reason, sunblock is a good product that can be used for babies too. The sunblock contains metallic materials which scatter the UV rays, by reflecting on them. Due to this, it acts as a wall or a barrier between the sun and the skin. However, the reason why many people do not like to use the sunblock for protecting their skin from the sun is because it is opaque and can be quite messy. Nevertheless, nowadays, one can find sunblocks that are light and transparent just like the sunscreens. One thing people have to keep in mind while picking out a sunblock is to check the ingredients. There are many products in the market which are called sunblock, but actually contain the ingredients of sunscreen. There are also products which are a mixture of sunscreen and sunblock. So, if you want a pure sunblock, do not forget to check the ingredients thoroughly.

What is Sunscreen?
Sunscreen is a popular sun protecting product as compared to sunblock. Though this is a product which is most commonly used by people, it is not as effective as sunblock in giving the skin complete protection. The sunscreen gives protection to the skin by absorbing the sun's UV rays. However, unlike the sunblock lotion, the sunscreen is only effective in keeping away the harmful effects of sun's UVB and not the UVA rays. Hence, it can be said that sunscreen is not the best product for preventing skin cancer. Also the sunscreen is made of chemicals which can cause side effects for some people. Some of the sunscreen ingredients include cinnamates, salicylates, titanium oxide, dioxybenzone, benzophenones, etc. People who have sensitive skin may be allergic to some of these ingredients which can cause skin problems. However, it has been found that the sunscreen is the best product that helps in protecting the skin from sun burns.

According to the argument that is discussed above, it can be said that sunblock is better than sunscreen when it comes to overall skin protection. However, both are effective in protecting the skin and hence, it is fine to apply either of the two while going out in the sun, rather than applying no lotion at all. Another important thing that you have to consider while choosing sunblock or sunscreen is its SPF factor. The higher the SPF factor of the lotion, the more protection it would provide to the skin. Nevertheless, for continued protection, it is important to apply the sunscreen or sunblock after every two hours, if the skin is exposed to the sun for a long time.