Coming Home Magazine

A Little About Sunscreen Sunscreen, also known as sunblock, sun cream, or suntan lotion, is a topical solution you put on your skin to protect against sunburn and skin cancer. It comes in many forms, including lotions, creams, sticks, gels, oils, powders, sprays, and pastes. The big deal about sunscreen is that it has active ingredients that prevent the sun's UV radiation from reaching your skin. There are two types of sunscreens: mineral and chemical. Mineral sunscreens contain the active ingredients titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, and work by blocking and scattering the rays before they penetrate your skin. Mineral sunscreens are gentler, making them the product of choice for babies and people with sensitive or acne-prone skin. Chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays before they can damage the skin, and contain one or more of the active ingredients oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, or octinoxate. Ideal for daily use and those with darker skin tones, chemical sunscreen is typically what people mean when they refer to sunscreen—and it's the most widely available. When used as directed, sunscreen has been proven to reduce the risk of skin cancers and skin precancers by up to 50%. It also helps minimize premature skin aging caused by the sun, like wrinkles, age spots, and sunburn. The Important Stuff It's hard to figure out what sunscreen is best for you with labels each touting something unique, like waterproof, water-resistant, sport, baby, and insect repellant. Even though one sunscreen may be marketed differently, they all work similarly. The most important factors to consider when buying sunscreen are SPF and broad-spectrum. Sunscreen goes through U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) testing to determine its SPF number and broad-spectrum capabilities. THE SPF TEST Required for all sunscreens, the FDA has long performed an SPF test to measure a sunscreen's ultraviolet burning (UVB) protection. UVB rays can damage the DNA in skin cells directly and are the main rays that cause sunburns. They're also thought to cause most skin cancers. After the test, a number value is assigned to the product to indicate its level of protection. The SPF number focuses on the time it takes for UVB rays to penetrate a sunscreen and make skin go red, compared with the time it takes to do this without sunscreen. Ultimately, the higher the SPF number, the higher the UVB protection. While there are multiple recommendations on the SPF you should wear and when, filtration levels look like this: Due to high filtration levels, most experts agree that SPFs 15-50 provide adequate protection for various skin types. THE BROAD-SPECTRUM TEST Sunscreens can pass an optional broad-spectrum test if they provide ultraviolet aging (UVA) protection in addition to UVB protection. UVA rays can cause skin cells to age, and indirect damage to cells' DNA. UVA rays are mainly linked to long-term skin damage such as wrinkles, but research shows they play a role in skin cancers, too. Basically, when you see "broad-spectrum" on a label, it means the 'screen offers protection against both UVA and UVB rays. Apply Sunscreen the Right Way Try as we may, we usually don't apply enough sunscreen or use it properly. To get the most benefit from sunscreen usage, make sure you: • Apply sunscreen 15-30 minutes before going outdoors to give it time to bind to your skin. • Rub sunscreen lotion into the skin evenly, leaving no visible streaks behind. • Reapply every two hours while outside. • Use one ounce of sunscreen to cover your entire body for each application. One ounce is about one shot-glass full. • Don't forget the easy-to-miss spots, like the ears, back of the neck, tops of feet, and along the hairline. • Reapply immediately after swimming or excessive sweating. Now suited up with all the sunscreen need-to-knows, you're free to thoroughly enjoy your summer in the sun! SPF 15 sunscreens filter out about 93% of UVB rays SPF 30 sunscreens filter out about 97% of UVB rays SPF 50 sunscreens filter out about 98% of UVB rays SPF 100 sunscreens filter out about 99% of UVB rays 7

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