The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 17 sunscreen ingredients, including chemicals such as PABA, cinnamates, which absorb ultraviolet rays and convert sunlight into heat energy, and physical materials such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. They penetrate the skin, and both types are safe and effective if used appropriately.
What ingredients are right for your skin?
1- Sensitive skin
It has been found that chemicals irritate sensitive skin, so a sunscreen that contains physical materials such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide is better for those with sensitive skin, and these materials are usually found in children's sunscreen.
2- Oily skin
Owners of oily and acne-prone skin should follow these tips:
Avoid products that contain PABA and oxybenzone. Products that contain physical agents and salicylates are gentler and less likely to cause breakouts. Look for products that are lightweight and dry quickly, like water-based sunscreens that contain ingredients like silica, sododecane.
Avoid products that contain greasy substances and moisturizers, which usually make your face shiny. Choose a broad-spectrum type with an SPF of 20 or more. Do not rely on cosmetics and makeup products to protect you from the sun, even if they contain a percentage of sunscreen, as it is usually not enough to protect your skin.
3- Dry skin
If you suffer from dry skin, you can benefit from a sunscreen that contains a moisturizer. There are many moisturizers that are used in sunscreen, such as: lanolin, oils, dimethicone, and moisturizing sunscreen is usually in the form of a cream, ointment or lotion.
4- White skin
It is preferable to use a sunscreen of SPF 30 or more daily, and repeat its application every two hours.
5- Dark skin
People with dark skin that acquire a tan and do not burn from the sun may think that they do not need sunscreen, but the truth is that this tan is the result of damage to the DNA of cells due to exposure to the harmful rays of the sun, and some types of sunscreen, especially those containing titanium, can be irritating Since they look like white deposits, and there are newer products that consist of small particles that penetrate the skin to look natural, look for a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher.
Benefits of sunscreen
Sunscreen is a shield that protects you from harmful UV rays in two ways, some of them work to reflect those rays off your body and others absorb the rays before they reach your skin, and we have talked before about UV damage.
Despite the claims that the sunscreen is not safe, there is no scientific evidence for that, and you can be completely assured, and you must follow the following to get full protection from the sun:
Put on sunscreen.
Always go to the shade.
Use a hat and sunglasses that protect against UV rays.
The correct way to use sunscreen
You should use an ample amount of sunscreen to get the required protection, if you are going to spend a long day at the beach, or exercising, or on hot days, it is preferable to use a waterproof sunscreen so that it does not fade with sweat.
Sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before exposure to the sun, and do not forget that re-applying the cream is very important and should be applied every two hours and also after swimming or heavy sweating.
Care should be taken to put sunscreen on all parts of the body that will be exposed to the sun, and you should not forget to put it on the hand as well
Misconceptions about sunscreen
There is no need for sunscreen when the weather is cloudy or cold, this is not true at all, about 40% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays reach the earth on a completely cloudy day, and this misconception leads to sunburn as a person spends a long time outside without protection from the sun.
80% of your skin’s exposure to the sun happens during childhood, so nothing works now. This information is wrong. Studies have shown that we are exposed to less than 25% by the age of 18, and that men over 40 spend most of their time outside and they are the most exposed to the sun.