Interesting Facts About Sunblocks

Sunblocks are a chemical agent used to help prevent the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching the skin.

There are two types of ultraviolet radiation, UVA and UVB. Both of these can damage the skin and increase your risk of skin cancer development.

UVB rays cause sunburn, while UVA rays which penetrate the skin more deeply, and are associated with aging.

UVA’s also exacerbate the carcinogenic effects of UVB rays, and are seen as a major cause of skin cancer on their own. Sunblocks vary in their ability to protect against UVA and UVB.

Most sunscreens with an SPF of 15+ do an excellent job of protecting against UVB.

SPF (Sun Protection Factor) SPF is a measure of a sunscreen's ability to prevent UVB rays from damaging the skin.

Who Should Use Sunblocks?

What Type Should I Use?

How much to use? How often should I apply it?

Here's how SPF works:

If it takes 20 minutes for unprotected skin to start turning red, using an SPF 15 sunscreen theoretically prevents reddening 15 times longer or about five hours.

Another way to look at it is in terms of percentages:

SPF 15 blocks approximately 93% of all incoming UVB rays.

SPF 30 blocks 97%; and

SPF 50 blocks 99%.

They may seem like very small differences, but if you have light colored skin or sensitive skin, or have a history of skin cancer, those extra percentages can make a difference. However, no sunscreen can block all UV rays.

But there are problems with the SPF model; First, no sunscreen, regardless of strength, should be expected to stay effective longer than two hours without reapplication.

Second, 'reddening' of the skin is a reaction to UVB rays alone and tells you little about what UVA damage you may be getting.

Unfortunately, plenty of sun damage to your skin can be done without getting burned.

Who Should Use Sunblocks?

Anyone over the age of six months should use a sunscreen daily. Even those who work inside are exposed to ultraviolet radiation for brief periods throughout the day. Windows do not protect you from UV rays.

Children under the age of six months should not be exposed to the sun. Shade and protective clothing are the best ways to protect infants from the sun.

Back to List

What Type Should I Use?

The answer depends on how much sun exposure you're anticipating. In all cases we recommend a broad-spectrum sunscreen offering protection against both UVA and UVB rays.

Many moisturizers and foundations have a sunscreen (usually SPF 15 or greater) already in them, and this is sufficient for everyday activities with a few minutes here and there in the sun.

However, if you work outside or spend a lot of time outdoors, you need stronger, water-resistant, sunblocks that have more staying power. The ‘water resistant’ and ‘sport formula’ types are also good for hot days or sports because they're less likely to drip into your eyes. However, these sunscreens may not be as good for everyday wear. They don’t blend well with makeup, are stickier, and need to be reapplied every two hours. Many of the sunscreens available in the US today combine several different active chemical sunscreen ingredients in order to provide broad-spectrum protection. Usually, at least three active ingredients are called for. These generally include PABA derivatives, Salicylates, and/or Cinnamates (octylmethoxycinnamate and cinoxate) for UVB absorption; Benzophenones (such as oxybenzone and sulisobenzone) for shorter-wavelength UVA protection; and Avobenzone (Parsol 1789), Ecamsule (Mexoryl), Titanium Dioxide, or Zinc Oxide for the rest of the UVA spectrum.

Products that have a 5 star review include Murad Environmental Shield Essential - C Day Moisture SPF 15, ARCONA Reozone, Protect SPF 20, and B. Kamins, Chemist Bio-Maple Matte Moisturizer SPF 15. These brands are a bit more expensive initially but offer you extremely good coverage.

If you're looking for a better deal, there are some less expensive alternatives that also have a 5 star review. Try Bull Frog Superblock 45 or Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Mist, SPF 45. Both of these brands have very good reviews and will cost you less money!

Back to List

How much to use? How often should I apply it?

To ensure that you get the full SPF of a sunscreen, you need to apply approximately one ounce to your body.

Studies show that most people apply only half to a quarter of that amount, which means the actual SPF they have on their body is lower.

During a long day at the beach, you should use around 1/4 to 1/2 of an 8 oz. bottle.

Sunblocks should be applied 30 minutes before exposure to the sun to allow the ingredients to fully bind into the skin.

Back to List

There are a MILLION + reasons to wear an SPF. They are called ‘the rays of the sun’! The sun’s rays can do a lot of damage if you’re not careful! And please wear a Sunscreen that offers UVA and UVB protection in them.

There are two products that I know of that contain both. (Both are available on Ebay for a lot less $$$!) They are ‘Anthelios’ and ‘Ombrelle’ by L’Oreal. Anthelios contains Anthelios L, which is a total UVA sunblock. Ombrelle contains Parsol 1789, which is also a total UVA sunblock.

People always get UVA and UVB confused.

An easy way to remember it is that:

# UVA is for Aging,
# and UVB is for Burning.

(Difference between ‘A’ and ‘B’)

If you don’t protect your skin, your skin will surely age prematurely! You can get tan early in the season by using tanning lotions but you should also wear a sunblock when you're out in the sun, whether it be summer, winter, spring or fall.

Reapplication of sunscreen is as important as initially applying it, so reapply the same amount every two hours. Sunblocks should be reapplied immediately after swimming or sweating a great deal.

To go to the next Anti Aging Skin Care page, here's the link: Youthful Healthy Make Up For a Great Look

To view the previous Anti Aging Skin Care page, here's the link: Look Great Ways to Reduce Wrinkles

Back to Top of Page Restorative Anti Aging Skin Care Beauty Care Tips and Techniques Go from Sunblocks Back to Homepage