Whether you’re outdoors for recreational or work purposes, repeated exposure to the sun will have its natural consequences for your skin. Regardless of color, skin that is repeatedly exposed to the sun tends to become tough and thick. Beyond the middle years of adulthood, the results can include wrinkly, leathery skin.
Irrespective of the circumstances for sun exposure, selecting a sunscreen product that offers some degree of protection from the sun’s UV rays can be one way to protect your skin from these ageing affects.
What Is SPF?
The SPF(Sun Protection Factor) number on the product’s label refers to the strength of protection, and the length of time a sun-screening product will allow your skin to be in the sun without burning – relative to the length of time bare skin (or skin without the product applied) would burn or redden.
To sum that up, the SPF number tells people how much longer they can last out in the sun with protection for their skin, without being burned. The higher the SPF number, the longer the period of protection against the sun.
How to choose the right sunscreen?
When selecting a sunscreen, it’s important to consider the different skin types and how they react with exposure to the sun.
Skin Type – Very Fair: This skin type generally burns quickly. Tanning is rare. Consider sunscreen products containing SPF 20 to 30.
Skin Type – Fair: This skin type almost always burns easily. Some tanning can occur, although not much. Consider sunscreen products containing SPF 12 to 20.
Skin Type – Light: This skin type burns in the moderate range. Tanning is normally gradual, yielding a light brown shade. Consider sunscreen products containing SPF 8 to 12.
Skin Type – Medium: This skin type burns in the minimal range. Tanning happens much of the time, yielding a moderate brown shade. Consider sunscreen products containing SPF 4 to 8.
Skin Type – Dark: This skin type rarely burns. Tanning occurs big time, yielding a dark brown shade. Consider sunscreen products containing SPF 2 to 4.
Skin Type – Other: This skin type includes people with moles (or whose close blood-relatives have a history of moles), people with skin cancer in their family histories (including melanoma), and people with very fair skin and hair. As this is a high-risk category for health damage from too much UV exposure, consider using sunscreen products with the highest SPF available, combined with light to moderate sun exposure.
Once you’ve selected the most suitable sunscreen product, and regardless of your skin type, apply your sunscreen ‘before’ going out into the sun’s rays. To ensure the best possible UV protection, the sunscreen product should also be spread fairly thick, and in a uniform manner over all areas of the skin that will be exposed to the UV rays.
Whatever your current circumstances and choices are for going out in the sun, taking appropriate care of your skin ‘now’ will help determine a healthier and younger-looking skin in the future.
