UV Protection
Choosing a sunscreen or/and sunblock can be a difficult task. Understanding the active ingredients and what they do is even more confusing. This information here aims to help you better understand the different UV rays, SPF and the roles and actions of common sunscreen/sunblock ingredients and how to choose the best sun protection for yourself and your family.
Ultraviolet Rays:
Sunlight has three categories, ultraviolet, visible and infra-red rays. Rays are put into a category according to their wave length. The wave length is the distance from the sun to the earth. We are only going to address ultraviolet rays and their effects.
1. UVC usually does not reach the earth’s surface being absorbed by the ozone layer above the earth. This ray is the shortest wave length from the sun.
2. UVB only has the strength to penetrate the epidermis. The epidermis is the very top layer of the body and the same thickness as a silk scarf. UVB rays are responsible for sunburns and suntans and play a significant role in skin cancer (squamous cell and basal cell cancer). UVB: B = BURNS.
3. UVA does more damage to the body than UVB. UVA is the same strength year round, regardless of climate conditions — it goes through light clothing, windshields, office windows, hats, etc. UVA shoots through the epidermis and disperses in the dermis, the second layer of the skin, where it breaks down collagen and damages cells and DNA in the dermis which decreases the skin’s immunity and generates harmful free-radicals, thus contributing to skin cancers such as melanomas. The effects of UVA rays are responsible for aging skin. UVA: A = AGING.
Ultraviolet rays are responsible for: pigmentation changes including hyperpigmentation (dark spots) and hypopigmentation (white spots), telangiectasia (spider veins), wrinkles, epidermal thickening, senile comodones (blackheads from chronic sun exposure), actinic keratoses (scaly lesions often precancerous), basal and squamous cell cancer, melanoma and cataracts.
Sun Protection Factor:
In the United States the Sun Protection Factor of a product tells how long you may stay in the sun without burning from UVB light. The amount of time to achieve redness with the sunscreen/sunblock applied determines the SPF. As people vary product results will vary on individuals.
Sunblock & Sunscreen Protection Ingredients:
What’s the difference?
A Sunscreen is a product with an SPF of 2 and higher. A Sunblock is a product with a physical block and an SPF 12 or higher. Products often contain a mixture of physical and chemical block ingredients.
What is a physical and chemical block?
A chemical block has the ability to be absorbed by the skin, sunlight is rendered nil or invalid upon contact. A physical block sits on the skin’s surface and does not have the ability to be absorbed into the skin. Light is either absorbed into the sunblock material or reflected away from the body back into the atmosphere similar to a mirror or tin foil.
UVA chemical sunblock/ sunscreen ingredients
• Avobenzone, Parsol 1789
• Ecamsule (Mexoryl)
• Menthyl Anthranilate
• Meradimate
• Oxybenzone, benzophenone, benzophenone-3
UVB chemical sunblock/ sunscreen ingredients
• Aminobenzoic acid
• Cinnamates, octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC), Ethylhexyl p-Methoxycinnamate,
• Cinoxate
• Ensulizole
• Homosalate
• Octocrylene
• Octinoxate
• Octisalate
• Octyl dimethyl paba
• Padimate O
• Para-aminobenzoic acid, PABA
• Salicylates, octyl salicytate (OCS
• Trolamine salicylate
UVA & UVB chemical sunblock/ sunscreen ingredients
• Dioxybenzone, UVB, UVAII
• Oxybenzone, UVB, UVAII
• Sulisobenzone, UVB, UVAII
• Titanium Dioxide
• Zinc oxide
Physical sunblock ingredients – UVA and UVB protection, non-irritating, non-allergenic
Zinc oxide – recognized as a mild antimicrobial, wound healing and sunscreen agent. Primarily absorbs UVA light rather than scattering or reflecting, non-irritating, non-comedogenic, and micronized by forming many small micro particles for cosmetic use.
Titanium dioxide –derived from Titanium, a highly reflective white chalky mineral, non-irritating, non-comedogenic, micronized by forming many small micro particles for cosmetic use, listed in the FDA monograph as one the top and most effective active ingredients for sun protection.
How to choose a sunscreen/sunblock that is best for you and your family:
There are four criteria for selecting the best sunscreen.
First - select a broad spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB. In particular, choose a sunscreen that includes a good level (around 4% to 5% or more) of zinc oxide (also called micronized zinc), or titanium dioxide, benzophenones, Mexoryl or Parsol 1789 (also called avobenzone) among the list of active ingredients.
Second – choose a sunscreen with a SPF 30 rating or higher – this is the minimum level now recommended by most dermatologists across America.
Third – determine the activity you will be doing for the day and apply a product that will meet the task, e.g. water activities mean you should use a waterproof sunscreen.
Fourth - always choose a sunscreen that feels good on your skin – so you will be comfortable wearing it every day. The best way to be sure you like a sunscreen is to try a small sample on your skin.
Once you have found a sunscreen or several that meet these four needs, use it regularly and properly and it will provide excellent sun protection.
The sun in central Texas is very strong. Our average daily UV index is rated as very high to extreme meaning we all need to take extra precautions to protect ourselves. Avoid sun exposure between the hours of 10am and 4pm and particularly around 1pm when our UV index is at its peak. If you must be outside protect yourself with a broad spectrum sunscreen, clothing, a hat, sunglasses and seek shade.
