Introduction

Are you applying sunscreen correctly, or perhaps you think you don’t need it anyway? These sunscreen myths and facts will help you answer these questions.

Sunscreen and sunblock are the best ways to protect your skin. Broad-spectrum sunscreens are the best as they protect the skin from UVA and UVB rays. These rays are very harmful and lead to skin damage or even skin cancer.

How long can you be in the sun without sunscreen? Although this is a tricky question, some dermatologists believe you can sunbathe without sunscreen for up to 20 minutes daily. However, to reduce the risk of skin damage, it may be advisable to stick to 5 to 10 minutes daily.

Please check out these sunscreen myths and facts that you need to know before you head out in the sun or start your day.

Myth 1: You can make your sunscreen at home

Fact:

Bad idea! Commercial sunscreen is a highly regulated formulation for safety, efficacy, and quality. There’s no way of assessing those factors with homemade formulas. You wouldn’t be able to test the SPF level of a homemade batch, and effective ingredients are neither easily purchased by consumers nor easy to mix.

If worried about particular ingredients that soak into the skin, look for a physical sunscreen with minerals like zinc oxide and or titanium dioxide, which sits on your skin and deflects the sun’s rays. Because it’s not absorbed into the skin, you don’t have to worry about its doing anything except saving you from skin damage.

Myth 2: You must apply chemical sunscreens for 15 minutes before going out in the sun. Mineral sunscreens, on the other hand, work right away

Fact: 

Both mineral and chemical sunscreen filters start to absorb UV rays right after application, and they both need application time to spread out evenly on your skin for optimal protection.

Myth 3: I don’t need sunscreen on cloudy or cold days

Fact: 

Even on cloudy days, the sun’s UVA and UVB rays are present, piercing through the clouds, so you need to wear sunscreen regardless.

Myth 4: I only need to wear sunscreen when I’m outdoors

Fact: 

UVA and UVB rays can penetrate the window, so it’s worth protecting your skin indoors.

Myth 5: I’m black and do not need sunscreen! My melanin is my natural sunscreen

Fact: 

Research shows that melanin offers an average SPF protection level of 13.4, which is a great starting point but not enough. Dark skin is as susceptible to sun damage as any other skin tone. It’s hard to see sun damage on dark skin. Skin cells respond to UV rays by releasing pigment, also known as sunburn, which is harder to see in darker skin tones. The skin colour is not the same as SPF sun protection. Regardless of skin colour, you need to wear sunscreen. Apply sunscreen and don’t forget to reapply.

These rays are also responsible for the dark spots and hyperpigmentation that develop after a skin breakout. So, do yourself skin a favour and wear broad-spectrum sunscreen daily.

Myth 6: My sunscreen is waterproof. I don’t need to reapply it after sweating or swimming

Fact:

There’s no such thing as waterproof sunscreen or sunblock! We wouldn’t want that because we would not wash it off our skin!

Some sunscreen and sunblock labels say water resistant but are not waterproof. If you are swimming or up and about sweating, that lessens the layer of UV protection on the skin, then you will need to reapply your sunscreen as often.

Myth 7: Sunscreen will prevent us from getting enough Vitamin D

Fact: 

We know the sun is an excellent source of Vitamin D, especially for people with darker skin tones. However, sunlight penetrates some clothing, and we do not need to spend long periods under the sun to get the amount of Vitamin D we need. Also, we can get our Vitamin D from foods including salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines, red meats and eggs.

Myth 8: Higher SPFs offer significantly more protection

Fact:

 People think sunscreen with an SPF of 100 will provide much more sun protection than an SPF of 30. Big myth! Sunscreen with an SPF of 30 blocks 97% of the sun’s UVA and UVB rays. Higher SPFs sunscreens, while more expensive, will block only 1 to 2% more.

 No sunscreen lotion or cream can block 100%. The higher SPF also has no impact on the time sunscreen will protect you. The exact duration applies to both low and higher SPFs. Typically two hours or less.

To Sum Up

Whether you pick a chemical or mineral sunscreen, dermatologists recommend using one that offers broad-spectrum protection with an SPF of  30 and above. Practically, the best sunscreen for you is the one you’ll wear religiously every day.

Remember that the sunscreen comes last after the Face cleanser, Toner, Serum, Face moisturizer and Face Elixir.

Thank you for reading. Please let us know what you think about these eight facts about sunscreen.

Xoxo Eunice