ourtesy of newsadvance.com Health & Fitness
QUESTION: Dear Karen, I have heard that after a certain SPF level in suntan lotion, anything higher is useless. Could you please answer what the benefits of a higher SPF are?
ANSWER: I didn’t realize sunscreen was such a complex topic until I started looking into your question. SPF stands for sun protection factor.
Dr. Mark Greenawald says, “If a person burns within 20 minutes of sun exposure, an SPF of 15 will theoretically allow them to be in the sun 15 times longer before burning.” But depending on many different factors, SPF 15 or 30 or whatever you choose may not be giving you the protection you are counting on.
Dr. Greenawald says, “There are many things that will decrease the protection factor of sunscreen, and include the skin type of the user, the amount applied and frequency of re-application; activities in which one engages (for example, swimming or sweating lead to a loss of sunscreen from the skin), amount of sunscreen the skin has absorbed, as well as environmental factors such as wind, heat, humidity and altitude.”
Experts estimate that in some cases with the above factors being taken into consideration, you may only be getting half the protection listed on the label. That’s not the only reason you may have a false sense of protection.
Dr. Greenwald says the SPF is a level of protection against burning UVB rays but does not account for UVA rays. UVA rays can also cause wrinkles and skin cancer. So use a high SPF sunscreen for sure, but there are other ways to protect against harmful rays.
Dr. Greenawald says, “For greater protection against sun damage to the skin, it is recommended that people avoid the sun when it is most intense (between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.), wear a sunhat and protective clothing and consider using a physical barrier sunscreen, such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.”
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