What Everyone Should Know About Sun Protection and Sunscreen

Sun protection has become a way of life for individuals, who are intent on keeping their skin healthy, and avoiding wrinkles and leathery skin. Getting sunburn repeatedly can increase your chance of getting skin cancer. Melanoma in children has been increasing each year! So it is important for us all to take a practical approach and properly use natural sunscreen and develop healthy skin care habits. Surprisingly, not everyone knows how to apply sunscreen. Only a small percent of the population uses sunscreen protection and only half of those people apply sunscreen correctly. In addition, regardless of the SPF or what the label says, sunscreens must be reapplied every 80 minutes or less. Sunscreen users mistakenly believe that high Sun Protection Factor (SPF) sunscreen products will protect them all day with one application, when in fact; all sunscreens must be reapplied regularly.

Two Sunscreen Myths
Myth: Sunscreen provides total sun block.
Truth: No sunscreen blocks 100 percent of Ultra Violet (UV) rays. SPF 15 can protect against 93 percent. SPF 30 protects against 97 percent. SPF 50-60 shuts out 98 percent. The higher the SPF the more harsh chemicals are in the product.

Myth: An SPF 60+ sunscreen provides double the protection of an SPF 30 sunscreen.
Truth: This is exactly why the FDA is putting a cap on high SPFs. SPF 30 provides skin with 97% protection, where as SPF 60 provides skin with 98-98.6% protection. There is less than 1.6% difference in protection factor. A SPF 60+ needs more chemicals to achieve a higher SPF, potentially putting more toxins in your body.

The real confusion to shoppers has been what a product can do and can't do. There are a number of sunscreen products are available on the market today. The trick is to become educated! Do you believe that just because sunscreens are labeled “sweat proof” or “waterproof” that they are? Currently, the FDA is banning the word "waterproof." Now the term, "water/sweat/perspiration resistant" is accurate, however; this only means the sunscreen offers SPF protection after 40 minutes of water exposure. The term, "very water resistant" gives 80 minutes of protection. So to be safe, use this basic rule of thumb: re-apply, re-apply, and re-apply!For people who don't have a lot of time, especially parents, a trend today has been to use aerosol sunscreens because they find them easier to apply. However, people may not be effectively protecting their skin! While being applied, aerosol sunscreens can lose much of their protection during the transfer from the bottle onto the skin. This is because not all of the molecules land on your body. 

Sun Protection Tips:

Apply Sunscreen Generously
Your basic common sense skin care message is: Generously apply sunscreen to all exposed skin using a SPF of at least 15 that provides broad-spectrum protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. Reapply every 80 minutes, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or sweating.

Seek Shade
Sunscreen is not all you need to stay safe. Although it is very important to use a natural sunscreen, also seek shade whenever appropriate. Remember to seek shade between the hours of 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. This is when the sun’s UV rays are strongest. Here’s a shadow rule for when you are in the sun: Look for Your Shadow. No Shadow, Seek Shade!

Watch for the UV Index
While many sunscreens provide some UVA protection, it is important to watch the UV Index, which provides important information to help you plan your skin care and outdoor activities. The UV Index was developed by the National Weather Service (NWS) and EPA, and is issued daily in cities across the United States.Some safe ingredients found in broad-spectrum sunscreens include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. These ingredients reflect the sun to prevent overexposure to the sun by sitting on top of the skin and not by being absorbed.

Wear Protective Clothing and Have an Annual Skin Exam
Cover up with clothing: wear a broad-brimmed hat, UV-blocking sunglasses, a long-sleeved shirt and pants whenever possible. Be sure to give yourself a self-exam and examine your children. Schedule a yearly professional skin care evaluation for the entire family. Early detection of melanoma can save your life. Carefully examine ALL of your skin once a month. A new or changing mole in an adult should be evaluated by a dermatologist.

Use Caution near Water, Sand and Snow
Water, sand and snow reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn.

Avoid Sun Tanning and Tanning Beds
Don’t fret! You can still have a healthy glow with a little bit of sun each day and get your vitamin D naturally and safely. But too much UV light from the sun and tanning beds can cause skin cancer and wrinkling. So if you want to look tan at the beach, you may want to consider using a natural self-tanning product, but continue to use sunscreen with it.

For more great skin care tips visit our website: www.SkinCareBaby.com where you will find our 2008 iParenting Media Award Winning Sunny Days SPF 30+ Natural Mineral Sunscreen, which offers strong sun protection for those scorching hot days when lots of exposure to UVA and UVB rays will occur. SkinCareBaby.com also offers Sunny Days SPF 30+ Natural Mineral Sunscreen Water Resistant Face Stick, which is an easy-to-use sunscreen in a stick formula that can be spread easily across the face for effective protection against the sun's harmful rays.

Here's to your family’s good health!

Diane Cuesta  

Owner of SkinCareBaby LLC

Consider this article as opinion only. Seek the advice of your own physician in connection with any questions or issues you have regarding your baby’s health.