Do you know what protection factor stands for? How high should it be for adults and how high for children? Is brown skin or a tan healthy? Which is more important, UVA or UVB? Do you know the difference between chemical and mineral sunscreen filters? We offer you many answers to common questions that arise when buying sunscreen.
The protection factor (SPF = Sun Protection Factor) indicates how long you can expose your skin to the sun without getting burned. SPF only indicates the level of protection against UVB rays. The label is uniform throughout the European Union. In fair-skinned people and children, unprotected skin can redden after five to ten minutes in the sun. A cream with a protection factor of 30 theoretically extends this time 30 times to 150 to 300 minutes. The problem is that we often do not apply enough sunscreen (40-50 milliliters should be applied at once for the whole body), so the time of exposure to the sun must be significantly shorter.
What protection factor should adults choose?
It depends on the skin type of the individual. Products with a protection factor of six to 10 offer little protection from the sun. Those with a protection factor of 15 to 25 are medium, and products with a protection factor of 30 to 50 provide strong protection, but only if you use enough product.
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The problem is that we often don’t apply enough protective agent.
Protective factor for children
Children’s skin is significantly more sensitive. Exposure to the sun is an important factor in the later development of skin cancer. Sun protection should therefore be a “complete project”: shade, clothing and only then the protective factor.
What counts as a protective device
A cosmetic product that can be labeled as a sunscreen must have a UVB protection factor of at least six, and a UVA protection factor of at least one third of the labeled SPF (the ratio between UVB and UVA must be at least 3:1).
What is UVA and UVB?
The abbreviation UV-radiation stands for ultraviolet radiation in sunlight. It consists of longer UVA rays (320 to 400 nanometers) and shorter UVB rays (280 to 320 nanometers). UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin and cause premature wrinkling and skin aging, while UVB rays can cause burns. While UVA rays also pass through window glass, UVB rays are stopped by ordinary glass. Exposure to UV radiation is particularly high at sea and in the mountains, as water, sand and snow strongly reflect UV rays. The strength of UVA radiation is about the same throughout the day, while UVB radiation is strongest at noon, when the sun is high in the sky.
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In fair-skinned people and children, unprotected skin can redden after five to ten minutes in the sun.
Source: svet24.si
