In lieu of a UVA rating, read the fine print for ingredients known to filter UVA, such as Mexoryl SX, avobenzone, itanium dioxide and zinc oxide.Īn SPF15 product is said to screen about 94% of UVB rays, an SPF30 97%. The best products also offer protection from the sun’s UVA rays. This measures a product’s effectiveness in preventing burns caused by the sun’s UVB rays. We all know to use lotions that offer an SPF or sun protection factor rating. But staying healthy depends on the sunscreen you choose and how you use it. And the good news for sun lovers is that a good block can impede sunburn and lower the risk of at least one form of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma. It has been over 40 years since the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) introduced the first regulations for sunscreen. So maybe, those of us who factor up religiously – who have made sunscreen an integral part of our daily beauty regime – have a right to complain when the products don’t do what they say they will do. Still, sunscreen manufacturers claim to have our backs (literally) covered. We all know deep down that sunbathing is a mug’s game: Too much exposure can cause not just temporary discomfort but premature wrinkling and sagging of the skin, eye damage due to macular degeneration and skin cancer. What we wanted was a golden sun-kissed tan, one that hides a multitude of flaws, and makes us look slimmer and healthier… and what we got was lobster. It’s no wonder then that so many of us diligently apply a “high protection” sunscreen only to find ourselves burnt to a cinder within an hour or so. The marketing terms are at best vague (ultra-sport!), at worst misleading (total block!). SPF, UVA, UVB, waterproof, sweat resistant – the labelling used on store-bought sunblock leaves a lot to be desired. As you pursue the bronzed body beautiful this month (despite hot weather warnings), can you be sure the sunscreen you choose really has you covered?
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