Choosing a Sun Protection Cream

If you are confused about what factor you should be wearing, how much to apply and how often to apply it, you are not alone. Experts advise wearing an SPF of at least 15 every day to protect yourself from the harmful UVA and UVB rays. It is important to choose a sunscreen that protects against both as they can both damage your skin. Look for the UVA logo on sunscreens as a guideline.

What does SPF mean?

The SPF or Sun Protection Factor of a product just indicates how much longer the product will protect your skin from burning than if you had none on at all. How long it takes you to burn will depend on your skin type (see our section ‘What is My Skin Type?’). For example, if it takes you a minute to burn without any sunscreen and you apply a sunscreen with an SPF of 15, you will burn in 15 minutes. Although there are sunscreens with an SPF of above 30, it is generally believed that any protection offered about 30 is minimal so it is better to use an SPF of between 15 and 30 and apply regularly.

How often should I apply my sunscreen?

Dermatologists recommend that you apply your sunscreen half an hour before going outside and reapply every two hours. It is also worth remembering that sunscreens are not ‘waterproof’ they are ‘water resistant’ and will need to be reapplied more often if you are in and out of water.

Will my sunscreen protect me from both UVA and UVB rays?

Most sunscreens will protect you against UVB rays that cause burning and skin cancer but not all will protect you against UVA rays that cause premature ageing. The level of protection from UVA rays offered by a sunscreen is usually indicated by a star rating from 1-5. This rating was developed by Boots in 2004 and a generally recognized standard worldwide. It is recommended that you always look for a sunscreen with the maximum star rating. To make matters even more confusing there are two types of UVA rays UVA1 and UVA2 so while most broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection will protect you against UVA2 it may not protect you against UVA1 which is thought to cause premature ageing. Sun blocks, which contain zinc oxide, can protect against UVB, UVA1 and UVA2 rays.

What ingredients should I be looking for in my sunscreen?

Some of the ingredients you should be looking for in a sunscreen are:

* Avobenzone (protects against UVA1)
* Octinoxate (protects against UVB)
* Octisalate (protects against UVB)
* Octocrylene (protects against UVB)
* Octyl Dimethyl Paba (Padimate-O) (protects against UVB)
* Oxybenzone (benzophenone-3) (protects against UVA2)
* Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) (protects against UVB)
* Titanium Dioxide (protects against UVB/UVA2)
* Zinc Oxide (protects against UVB, UVA1, UVA2)