Beauty

What is SPF? Facts & myths about sun safety

Today’s post is devoted to sun protection. I guess it’s a thing that we all should be interested in. Sit back and enjoy!

Unfortunately our knowledge on how to protect from the sunlight is still insufficient. What is SPF? Does UV radiation really cause harm? Are sunscreens necessary only in the summertime? Is this true that you can’t get tanned while wearing a sunblock? These are only a couple of questions about sun protection we can come across online. There are as many doubts as myths repeated in plenty of articles. I’ll try to clear them up!

SUN PROTECTION – FACTS AND MYTHS

Is solar radiation harmful to our health?

The most common doubt is whether solar radiation is really hazardous to our health. On the one hand, we hear that it lets our bodies produce vitamin D3. On the other hand, we are advised against frequent sunbathes and scared by the vision of skin cancer. What’s the truth?

BENEFITS OF EXPOSURE TO THE SUN

Without doubts, the sunlight has plenty of benefits. UVB radiation stimulates the synthesis of vitamin D3 essential for the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. Also, some people say that a suntan is another good side of the sun exposure.

DRAWBACKS OF EXPOSURE TO THE SUN

The truth is that radiation does more harm than good. A tan is simply the body’s defensive reaction to the excess of UV rays because only melanin – natural pigment – can stop them. We also age more quickly due to the sunlight, plus the skin is often sun-damaged and irritated. And the critical argument: UV radiation is a carcinogen.

Do we have to protect ourselves from the sunlight?

There’s an obvious conclusion flowing from what’s just been said. Sun protection is extremely important. Why? A simply-looking sunblock:

  • protects the skin from irritations.
  • reduces damage to skin cells.
  • lowers risk of cancer.
  • delays the skin aging process.

What’s important, using a sunblock only in summer is a big mistake. UV radiation is slightly less intense in winter but it still can cause harm. The easiest way to notice that is looking at your face after spending all day on a ski slope – red and irritated skin is the effect of the sunrays reflected on the snow.

What’s the best sun protection?

UV filter creams make the easiest form of sun protection. You can choose between physical and chemical filters. What’s the difference? Physical sunscreens create a protective layer on the skin and block the sunrays whereas chemical sunblocks absorb them like a sponge. By the way let me debunk another myth: chemical sunblock isn’t bad for your health.

On the other hand, it’s true that natural vegetable oils are natural sunscreens. Still, their protective power isn’t strong and their SPF is pretty low (4-10). Speaking of SPF, here’s a key question:

What is SPF in your cosmetic products?

The mysterious-sounding SPF (let me quote) “measures the fraction of sunburn-producing UV rays that reach the skin”. Simply put, it is the level of protection that a given filter provides – the higher the SPF, the better the protection.

Last but not least, let’s dispel two most popular myths about SPF because generally we know very little about the topic.

MYTH 1. WEARING HIGH SPF, YOU WON’T GET A TAN.

We often think that we can’t get a nice tan if we wear sunscreen. We believe that the higher the SPF, the lower the chance of getting tanned. It is not true! Sunscreen doesn’t block the suntan. You can get a lovely tan while wearing a high SPF sunblock but this form of protection means you need to wait for the brown shade slightly longer.

MYTH 2. APPLYING TWO COATS OF SUNBLOCK MEANS DOUBLE PROTECTION.

I’ve come across an opinion that a bigger amount of sunblock on the skin means stronger protection. It is not true either! The value of SPF is constant and doesn’t change when you apply more product. By applying a thicker layer of sunscreen, you may slightly intensify the protection but you surely won’t be protected much better.

Is there anything else you would like to know about sun safety? Let me know and I’ll prepare another sunny post. 🙂