Many people ponder if sunscreen is really important while others may have a false sense of what sunscreen can really do for them or even which one they should use. We hear all the studies about the effects of sun exposure, cancer, aging, SPF, etc. but what does it all really mean.
The sun rises every morning bathing the world in ultraviolet light with its rays. In the past, sunlight was very important to our overall health. Not only does it make us feel good, it was a way to get more Vitamin D in the body. In today’s world, this is less important as many foods are fortified with Vitamin D or we take vitamins as a supplement. Today, the risk of too much ultraviolet light, far outweighs any benefits.
Many people believe that if they are not purposely exposing themselves through sunbathing, they don’t need sunscreen or that since it is in other products they may use, they don’t need additional protection. They may also believe that they don’t need it in winter or cloudy days. There are also many people with darker colored skin that believe that they don’t need the protection. All of these are false. Let’s look at some facts.
There are 2 types of rays. UVB rays that can burn the skin and these rays are also what causes the skin to tan. UVB rays are much more abundant in the spring and summer. Then there are UVA rays. UVA rays are around year round and can even penetrate glass. UVA rays are a major factor in making our skin age and wrinkle. Also, they are more abundant, as there are 20 times more UVA rays than UVB rays on any given day. On cloudy days, 70-80% of the sun rays still get through the clouds.
In our Texas climate, we are much more exposed than one may think to both types of rays. 10 trips to the store is like laying out in the sun for 2 hours. Think about how often you are out running errands, driving to work or school and walking to the building and add it up. This adds up to a lot more exposure than one may think.
Let’s talk about SPF. SPF is a way to measure the product’s ability to screen or block out the sun’s burning rays or UVB rays. SPF does not measure protection against the sun’s UVA rays that cause our skin to age.
To protect against UVA rays, we must use a product that is formulated to protect against UVA rays. Products that contain zinc oxide and titanium dioxide offer physical barriers while avobenzone and ecamsule(Mexoryl®) offer a chemical barrier. Chemical barriers can break down in the sun. While all of these ingredients offer some protection from the UVA rays, however zinc oxide is the single best ingredient that uniformly blocks both UVB and UVA rays.
This is why at Smooth Solutions, we choose to sell Elta® sunscreens that utilize a microfine, transparent zinc oxide. It leaves no white residue on the skin’s surface and are all fragrance and sensitivity free. It also will not block your pores or make your skin feel greasy.
To learn more about the science of UVB and UVA rays,
click here . To learn more about Elta® sunscreens and how they can protect you, ask one of our team members. Protect your skin today for better skin in the future.
