SPF - Suncreen Protection Factor what this really means

by Indepthskincare - on 18 Dec 2015 When you are in the sun and wearing sunscreen - remember that no matter how strong that screen SPF factor, some burning and damaging sun rays are always getting through. That’s because sunscreens are designed to filter, not completely block the harmful UVA and UVB sun rays that can damage (burn) and dry your skin.

The SPF claim on a sunscreen label is an indicator of how much time you can be in the sun until your skin begins to get damaged or burn - that’s when you hit your personal limit of time in the sun. Keep an eye on the weather reports to get an indication of the day ahead and look for sun protection alerts.

So why all the hype about SPF 50 and is SPF 30 good enough?

First let’s ask how does SPF work?

SPF is a a multiplication of your average burn time (without sunscreen) to provide a reasonable indication of extended time in sun before burning - with SPF factor applied.

So if you are a fair skinned burner and start going red after only ten minutes in the sun - an SPF30 screen that keeps working even after swimming will provide up to 300 minutes effective sun protection - that’s five hours sun protection which is normally plenty, especially when combined with sun smart behaviour.

However - be careful, you can’t expect to expose skin to the sun all day just because you’re wearing high SPF sunscreen. We are after all talking about THE SUN here and unless you’re wearing a foil suit, a sun smart person will know to put on a shirt or head to the shade well before they reach any mathematical burn time to ensure the best and safest protection. However if you are caught out in the sun on a boat, hiking or playing sport - then look for a sunscreen that offers long lasting and water proof protection as this will help prolong the SPF rating through all kinds of beach and sporting activity.

Long lasting waterproof formulations are preferred by sun savvy people. If the screen you’re using erodes off the skin due to water, or sweats out or rubs off you may incorrectly believe you are protected due to the high SPF promise you read on the label when in fact the screen effectiveness is significantly diminished.

So how do you know if your sunscreen is effective and long lasting?

Here are three key questions you may ask:

1. How effective is my sunscreen at filtering out harmful sun rays?
2. Will my screen last and remain effective even after swimming or exercise?
3. Does the screen provide effective moisturising with skin friendly ingredients?

Ask these questions of the source of your screen or try InSunSports.

So does SPF matter?

Studies generally agree that SPF 15 filters approximately 93% UVB rays, SPF 30 filters approximately 97% and SPF 50 a mere 1% more filtration at 98%. We therefore should be looking for how long the screen we choose remains effective on the skin.

Don’t be faced with making a fast buying decision at the ‘last minute’.

The savvy person looks for a long lasting sunscreen before scanning for the highest SPF number on the label. Preferably it’s also moisturising, so nourishing and soothing even long after sun. It’s a good idea to get sunscreen organised early. Consider InSunSports sunscreen as a main contender to deliver excellent long lasting protection.

www.indepthskincare.com