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If you don’t want to get burned and grow old early, protect your skin from UV radiation, this axiom is known to everyone. The sun’s rays, although undeniably beneficial – they help to form vitamin D and the joy hormone serotonin – but also cause sunburn. And also contribute to photo-aging, can cause exacerbation of photodermatosis and increase the risk of skin cancer.
And it seems that it would take a sunscreen with the highest protection from head to toe and avoid all these troubles at once, but it’s not so easy. In terms of protection against UV radiation, it doesn’t mean it’s better, and sunscreens work differently, and when some are good, others don’t.
The basic rules of safe tanning
Try not to go out in the open sun from 10 to 16 hours. Use sunscreen with SPF (sun protection factor) not only at sea, but also during country picnics and outdoor walks, even when the sky is covered by clouds.
Apply these products well in advance, 20 minutes before going out, and renew every two hours, as well as after bathing. Remember that no cream protects you 100% from UV light, so you should limit your time in the sun anyway.
Keep in mind: diuretics, antibiotics and hormones, as well as some foods such as figs, citrus fruits and carrots, increase sensitivity to the sun. Face creams with SPF should be used all year round to protect the skin.
How to choose the perfect sunscreen
There can be no universal council in this matter. Everything depends on a person’s phototype, age and skin condition, lifestyle and UV index in a particular region.
Light-skinned, blonde or redheaded with blond eyes and often with freckles, Celtic-type representatives burn out incredibly quickly, they need stronger protection from the sun.
Blonde and blue-eyed shutters (Nordic type) can stay in the sun without the risk of sunburn a little longer. Even better, tanners of the Middle European and Mediterranean types. People of the eastern type and representatives of the Negroid race practically do not get sunburned.
Age also plays an important role in the choice of means with SPF. After 40 the skin becomes more sensitive to ultraviolet than at 30-35 years old. Sensitivity to sunlight is also increased by aggressive cosmetology treatments.
As part of modern sun protection products usually have physical (titanium dioxide, zinc oxide), and chemical filters (avobenzon, benzophenone, etc.), but in different proportions.
Sunscreens dominated by physical filters, with their inept and too active use can provoke exacerbation of acne, but the chemical filters are more likely to cause allergies.
As a rule, the higher the SPF, the more aggressive the ingredients in the cream. That is why it is important to use products with optimal sun protection factor for each individual.
SPF 2-4 is considered a basic protection against 50-75% UV, SPF 4-10 provides medium protection (up to 85%), 10-20 high protection, and SPF 20-30 intensive protection (up to 97%).
Give preference to products that provide UV protection of both UVA and UVB types. B-rays (UVA) are visible to the naked eye, causing redness and burns, but A-rays (UVA) are imperceptible but can penetrate deep into the skin and cause aging.
When choosing a protective cream, consider how long you plan to stay in the sun and what the UVA index is in that region (the worse the ozone layer, the higher the index). This index can be easily found in the “weather” application on your smartphone.
With a minimum level (0-2), outdoor walking is not a hazard. If the UV index is between 3 and 7, you should take care of protecting your skin from the sun and during daytime hours it is better to stay home or in the shade.
Where is it best to buy sunscreen?
The worst way to buy a protective agent is to buy a tent on the way to the beach, because sun filters are “afraid” of both high temperatures and sunlight. That is why it is not recommended to leave a bottle of cream in the sun, it is better to remove it after use in the shade or a thermo bag.
It is better to buy creams with SPF in a large store, pharmacy or online store that appreciates its reputation. In this chain of cosmetics stores sunscreen products are represented in a huge range, which allows you to choose the right cream or lotion for you.