Summer Skin Care – What is the Right SPF For You?

WHAT IS AN SPF?

SPF stands for sun protection factor. Sunscreens are rated by the strength of their SPF. The SPF can range from as low as 2 to as high as 100. These numbers refer to the products ability to deflect the suns burning rays. It is strongly recommended to use a broad spectrum sunscreen (UVA and UVB protection). This helps protect against sunburn, premature aging and skin cancer.

WHAT IS A SUNSCREEN?

Sunscreen also known as sun block or sun cream is available as lotion, spray or gel that absorbs or reflects the suns UV radiation on skin exposed to sunlight and thus protects against sunburn.

WHAT ARE UVA AND UVB RAYS?

Sunlight consists of UVA and UVB rays. UVA exposure results in signs of premature aging- wrinkling and age spots. UVB are the suns burning rays and are the primary cause of sunburns. Excessive exposure to both can result in skin cancer.

WHEN AND HOW OFTEN SHOULD A SUNSCREEN BE USED? HOW MUCH SUNSCREEN SHOULD I USE?

A sunscreen should be applied everyday to exposed skin- even if you are not going to be out in the sun. A sunscreen can be applied under make-up or alternatively there are many cosmetic products that contain sunscreen for daily use. A sunscreen should not be reserved only for sunny days. Even on a cloudy day 80 percent of the suns uvrays can pass through the clouds.

Ideally, a sunscreen should be applied to dry skin 20-30 min before going outdoors. As they rub off as well as wash off, a sunscreen should be reapplied every 3-4 hours for continued protection. “Water-resistant” sunscreens loose effectiveness after 40 min in water hence should be reapplied every 2 hours after swimming or perspiring heavily.

One ounce or 2 tablespoons of sunscreen is considered the optimum amount needed to cover exposed areas of the body properly – which include- ears, face, neck and arms if necessary.

HOW TO BE SUN SMART?

· generously apply sunscreen of SPF 30 or more on exposed areas. Reapply every 2 hours.

· Wear protective clothing – long sleeve shirt, pants, hats with broad brims, sunglasses

· Seek Shade – suns rays are the strongest between 10 am and 4 pm. If your shadow is shorter than what you are – seek shade.

· Protect children – wear appropriate clothing, apply a sunscreen.

· Be extra cautious near water, snow and sand. Hey reflect damaging rays of the sun, hence the chances of getting sunburn are more.

· Avoid Tanning Beds.

· Have enough Vitamin D supplement. Prolonged use of sunscreen interferes with Vit D production, leading to its deficiency. Hence it is recommended to spend small amount of time in the sun without sun protection. This facilitates Vitamin D production.

How To Choose The Best SPF (Sun Protection Factor)

You know that you should use some form of sunscreen every day, right? Even during those colder winter month, sunscreen is vital to your skin’s health. But, how do you choose from all of those SPFs on the market? Is one sunscreen better than another? How do you know which one to select? This article will help to clear up that SPF confusion.

What Is SPF?

Quite literally, SPF stands for “Sun Protection Factor.” In every instance, the higher the SPF number, the more protection you will receive against the sun’s UVB rays. While this information might be old news to you, did you know that the SPF number also indicates the amount of time that you can safely stay out in the sun?

For example, if you happen to be a person with sun sensitive skin, a SPF of 15 will allow you to safely remain outside for 15 times longer than they normally would. This logic can be applied to any SPF number out there.

The Higher the Better?

So, now the question is: what number should you be looking for? Well, most skincare experts tend to recommend a SPF that’s between 15-30. Any SPF number that’s higher than 30 generally doesn’t provide much more protection.

However, if you have extremely fair skin, you may want to seek an SPF or 15-30. This tiny bit of extra SPF may protect those with fair skin better than a lower number would. Even if you have dark skin, you should still wear sunscreen. Dark skin can burn just as easily as light skin can.

Powder, Liquid, or Spray?

Is there a difference between all of the powders, liquids, and sprays on the market? Is one type of sunscreen better than another? Generally, all types of sunscreen have been designed for mass use. Thus, the most important thing is to look at that SPF number.

However, you should also read sunscreen ingredients. If you use a sunscreen that’s integrated into another product (moisturizer or foundation), be careful about the ingredients included in that product. Some of these products may actually harm your skin.

Best Sunscreens

The best way to choose a sunscreen is to select one that is made from organic ingredients. These sunscreens do not contain a large amount of toxic chemicals. Instead, they are often composed of natural ingredients.

If you happen to have sensitive skin, choose a sunscreen that won’t make your skin break out. Likewise, if you intend to swim or sweat while wearing sunscreen, make sure to select a waterproof version.

Enjoy the Sun

The sun can be a welcomed thing. Sunshine feels great on skin, it gives us a boost of Vitamin D when we need it, and it has the ability to invoke positive feelings. In short, don’t avoid the sun completely.

Still, make sure that you wear a proper SPF every single time you venture outside – no matter what the season might be. This way, you can enjoy the sun without worrying about your skin.

SPF, UVB and UVA Protection Explained

Try this quiz:

• Is SPF 45 sunscreen three times stronger than SPF 15 sunscreen? Does it last three times longer?
• Do sunscreens provide better UVA protection than UVB protection?
• What works better, sunscreens or sunblocks?
• Do “broad-spectrum” sunscreens protect against all UV rays?

If you’re not certain of the answers, join the club. Recent research shows that people who buy sunscreens aren’t sure exactly what protection they offer, and are cloudy about the technical terms on their labels. A survey of 235 women who bought sunscreen found they did not know the difference between UVA and UVB or between SPF and UVA. They mistakenly believed that higher SPF ratings meant stronger UV protection, not longer protection, and the concept of “broad-spectrum” protection confused them further.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is urging sunscreen manufacturers to clarify the claims made on their products so that the public can make more informed purchases. In the meantime, we’d like to do our part. Here, from medical experts on The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Photobiology Committee, is a concise primer on the ABC’s of sunscreen protection:

UVA (ultraviolet-A): long- wave solar rays of 320-400 nanometers (billionths of a meter). Although less likely than UVB to cause sunburn, UVA penetrates the skin more deeply, and is considered the chief culprit behind wrinkling, leathering, and other aspects of “photoaging.” The latest studies show that UVA not only increases UVB ’s cancer-causing effects, but may directly cause some skin cancers, including melanomas.

UVB (ultraviolet-B): short-wave solar rays of 290-320 nanometers. More potent than UVA in producing sunburn, these rays are considered the main cause of basal and squamous cell carcinomas as well as a significant cause of melanoma.

Sunblocks and sunscreens: Sunscreens chemically absorb UV rays, sunblocks physically deflect them. Sunscreen has long blocked UVB effectively, but until recently provided less UVA protection. New ingredients such as octylcrylene and the benzophenones have improved sunscreen’s defenses against shorter UVA rays, and the revolutionary chemical avobenzone (Parsol 1789) works against all UVA wavelengths.

Sunblocks have also markedly improved. New preparations such as micronized titanium dioxide are less conspicuous on the skin and offer substantial protection against both UVA and UVB.

SPF (sun protection factor): measures the length of time a product protects against skin reddening from UVB, compared to how long the skin takes to redden without protection. If it takes 20 minutes without protection to begin reddening, using an SPF 15 sunscreen theoretically prevents reddening 15 times longer — about 5 hours. (Actually, it may take up to 24 hours after sun exposure for redness to become visible.) To maintain the SPF, reapply sunscreen every two hours and right after swimming.

The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends SPF’s of at least 15, which block 93 percent of UVB. While SPF’s higher than 30 block only 4 percent more UVB, they may be advisable for sun-sensitive individuals, skin cancer patients, and people at high risk of developing skin cancer. They also allow some margin for error if too little sunscreen is applied.

While SPF is the universal measurement of UVB protection, no comparable standard exists for UVA. Scientists worldwide are working to develop a standardized testing and certification method to measure UVA protection.

Broad-spectrum protection: The phrase indicates that a product shields against UVA as well as UVB. It does not guarantee protection against all UVA wavelengths, however. Most broad-spectrum sunscreens and sunblocks with an SPF of 15 or higher do a good job against UVB and short UVA rays; if they also contain avobenzone, zinc oxide, or titanium dioxide, they should be effective against the entire UVA spectrum.

Even with the ideal sunscreen, some UV rays can get through to your skin and cause damage. The Skin Cancer Foundation considers sunscreen one part of a comprehensive sun protection program, along with sun-protective clothing, sunglasses, shade, and sun avoidance from 10A.M. to 4 PM.

What is Sun Protection?

Sun protection is simply guarding a body from the adverse effects of sunlight. Aside from the hazards of heat, the sun poses the danger of sunburn, which can permanently damage the skin and cause skin cancer, precancerous changes in the skin, as well as premature wrinkling and signs of aging. Exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun is a known risk factor for the development of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers.

How is sunburn best prevented?

The best ways to avoid sunburn are to:

• limit time in the sun, especially between peak sunlight hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.;
• wear protective clothing, including
• a broad-brimmed hat,
• a shirt with sleeves that cover the arms, and
• a long skirt or pants with long legs; and
• use a protective sunscreen to minimize the penetration of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays.

What is sunscreen?

Sunscreen is any substance or material that protects the skin from UV radiation. Sunscreens are available in the forms of topical lotion, cream, ointment, gel, or spray that can be applied to the skin; a salve or stick that can be applied to the lips, nose, and eyelids; a moistener in towelettes that can be rubbed against the skin; sunglasses that protect the eyes; certain types of sun-protection clothing; and film screen that can be affixed to the windows of a car, room, or office.

What is meant by SPF?

SPF, an abbreviation for sun-protection factor, is a number such as 15, 30, or 50 that indicates the degree of sunburn protection provided by sunscreens. SPF is related to the total amount of sun exposure rather than simply the length of sun exposure. It is a common mistake to assume that the duration of effectiveness of a sunscreen can be calculated simply by multiplying the SPF by the length of time it takes for him or her to suffer a burn without sunscreen, because the amount of sun exposure a person receives is dependent upon more than just the length of time spent in the sun. The amount of sun exposure depends upon a number of factors including the length of exposure, time of day, geographic location, and weather conditions.

A common mistake is applying too little sunscreen, which can drastically reduce the effective SPF of the product. About 1 ounce (5-6 teaspoons) of sunscreen is recommended to cover the entire body. Further, sunscreen must be reapplied every two hours when staying outdoors for a prolonged period of time. Sunscreen should also be applied at least 30 minutes before going outdoors.

People with sensitive skin who burn quickly and must spend a lot of time outdoors should always apply a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more.

Immediate Pigment Darkening (IPD)

Star rating system

In the UK and Ireland, the Boots star rating system is a proprietary in vitro method used to describe the ratio of UVA to UVB protection offered by sunscreen creams and sprays. Based on original work by Prof. Brian Diffey at Newcastle University, the Boots Company in Nottingham, UK, developed a standard method which has been adopted by most companies marketing these products in the UK. The logo and methodology of the test are licensed for a token fee to any manufacturer or brand of sunscreens that wishes to use it, provided the products to which the logo is applied perform to the standard claimed. It should not be confused with SPF, which is measured with reference to burning and UVB.

One-star products provide the least ratio of UVA protection; five-star products are best. The method has recently been revised in the light of the Colipa UVA PF test, and with the new EU recommendations regarding UVA PF. The method still uses a spectrophotometer to measure absorption of UVA vs UVB; the difference stems from a requirement to pre-irradiate samples (where this was not previously required) to give a better indication of UVA protection, and of photo stability when the product is used. With the current methodology, the lowest rating is three stars, the highest being five stars.

In August 2007, the FDA put out for consultation the proposal that a version of this protocol be used to inform users of American product of the protection that it gives against UVA.

Persistent Pigment Darkening (PPD)

The Persistent Pigment Darkening (PPD) method is a method of measuring UVA protection, similar to the SPF method of measuring UVB light protection. Originally developed in Japan, it is the preferred method used by skin care manufacturers.

Instead of measuring erythema or reddening of the skin, the PPD method uses UVA radiation to cause a persistent darkening or tanning of the skin. Theoretically, a sunscreen with a PPD rating of 10 should allow you to endure 10 times as much UVA as you would without protection. The PPD method is an in vivo test like SPF. In addition, Colipa has introduced a method which, it is claimed, can measure this in vitro and provide parity with the PPD method

As part of revised guidelines for sunscreens in the EU, there is a requirement to provide the consumer with a minimum level of UVA protection in relation to the SPF. This should be a UVA PF of at least 1/3 of the SPF to carry the UVA seal. The implementation of this seal is in its phase-in period, so a sunscreen without it may already offer this protection.

Sun Protection Factor (SPF)

The SPF of a sunscreen is a laboratory measure of the effectiveness of sunscreen — the higher the SPF, the more protection a sunscreen offers against UV-B (the ultraviolet radiation that causes sunburn).

The SPF is the amount of UV radiation required to cause sunburn on skin with the sunscreen on, relative to the amount required without the sunscreen. So, wearing a sunscreen with SPF 50, your skin will not burn until it has been exposed to 50 times the amount of solar energy that would normally cause it to burn. The amount of solar energy you are exposed to depends not only on the amount of time you spend in the sun, but also the time of day. This is because, during early morning and late afternoon, the sun’s radiation must pass through more of the Earth’s atmosphere before it gets to you. In practice, the protection from a particular sunscreen depends on factors such as:

* The skin type of the user.
* The amount applied and frequency of re-application.
* Activities in which one engages (for example, swimming leads to a loss of sunscreen from the skin).
* Amount of sunscreen the skin has absorbed.

The SPF is an imperfect measure of skin damage because invisible damage and skin aging are also caused by ultraviolet type A (UVA, wavelength 320 to 400 nm), which does not cause reddening or pain. Conventional sunscreen blocks very little UVA radiation relative to the nominal SPF; broad spectrum sunscreens are designed to protect against both UVB and UVA. According to a 2004 study, UVA also causes DNA damage to cells deep within the skin, increasing the risk of malignant melanomas. Even some products labeled “broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection” do not provide good protection against UVA rays. The best UVA protection is provided by products that contain zinc oxide, avobenzone, and ecamsule. Titanium dioxide probably gives good protection, but does not completely cover the entire UV-A spectrum, as recent research suggests that zinc oxide is superior to titanium dioxide at wavelengths between 340 and 380 nm.

Owing to consumer confusion over the real degree and duration of protection offered, labeling restrictions are in force in several countries. In the EU sunscreen labels can only go up to SPF 50+ (actually indicating a SPF of 60 or higher) while Australia’s upper limit is 30+. The United States does not have mandatory, comprehensive sunscreen standards, although a draft rule has been under development since 1978. In the 2007 draft rule, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed to institute the labelling of SPF 50+ for sunscreens offering more protection. This and other measures were proposed to limit unrealistic claims about the level of protection offered (such as “all day protection”).

UV-B sunlight spectrum (on a summer day in the Netherlands), along with the CIE Erythemal action spectrum. The effective spectrum is the product of the former two.

The SPF can be measured by applying sunscreen to the skin of a volunteer and measuring how long it takes before sunburn occurs when exposed to an artificial sunlight source. In the US, such an in vivo test is required by the FDA. It can also be measured in vitro with the help of a specially designed spectrometer. In this case, the actual transmittance of the sunscreen is measured, along with the degradation of the product due to being exposed to sunlight. In this case, the transmittance of the sunscreen must be measured over all wavelengths in the UV-B range (290–320 nm), along with a table of how effective various wavelengths are in causing sunburn (the erythemal action spectrum) and the actual intensity spectrum of sunlight (see the figure). Such in vitro measurements agree very well with in vivo measurements. Numerous methods have been devised for evaluation of UVA and UVB protection The most reliable spectrophotochemical methods eliminate the subjective nature of grading erythema.

Mathematically, the SPF is calculated from measured data as

where E(λ) is the solar irradiance spectrum, A(λ) the erythemal action spectrum, and MPF(λ) the monochromatic protection factor, all functions of the wavelength λ. The MPF is roughly the inverse of the transmittance at a given wavelength.

The above means that the SPF is not simply the inverse of the transmittance in the UV-B region. If that were true, then applying two layers of SPF 5 sunscreen would be equivalent to SPF 25 (5 times 5). The actual combined SPF is always lower than the square of the single-layer SPF.

Measurements of UVA protection – Persistent Pigment Darkening (PPD)

The Persistent Pigment Darkening (PPD) method is a method of measuring UVA protection, similar to the SPF method of measuring UVB light protection. Originally developed in Japan, it is the preferred method used by manufacturers such as L’Oreal.

Instead of measuring erythema or reddening of the skin, the PPD method uses UVA radiation to cause a persistent darkening or tanning of the skin. Theoretically, a sunscreen with a PPD rating of 10 should allow you to endure 10 times as much UVA as you would without protection. The PPD method is an in vivo test like SPF. In addition, Colipa has introduced a method which, it is claimed, can measure this in vitro and provide parity with the PPD method.

The UVA seal used in the EU

As part of revised guidelines for sunscreens in the EU, there is a requirement to provide the consumer with a minimum level of UVA protection in relation to the SPF. This should be a UVA PF of at least 1/3 of the SPF to carry the UVA seal. The implementation of this seal is in its phase-in period, so a sunscreen without it may already offer this protection.