by Mariana Morales
The sun is shining and everyone is wearing the clothes that reveal a lot of skin… so it’s time to think about sunscreen.
Sunlight itself accounts a big percentage of the symptoms in skin cancers and aging features such as wrinkles. But from all the brands and different information on all of them, it makes it difficult to find the right one.
On sunscreen, the SPF measures how much UVB gets absorbed. UVB radiation is mainly responsible for sunburns and it affects the outside of your skin. UVA radiation affects deeper in the skin and is responsible for more damage and aging signs. Although the SPF measures the UVB radiation, there is none for the UVA radiation.
When choosing the right sunscreen, it best to view the ingredients and find the chemicals that are UVA-absorbing such as avobenzone or benzophenone. There is a list of ingredients on The Environment Protection Agency’s “The Burning Facts” that you can take a look at.
The SPF number recommended by experts is a minimum of SPF 15, but it depends if you are outdoors for a long time or if your skin burns easily. In that case, it would be best to go higher.
Most people do not apply the right amount of sunscreen. It takes 20-30 minutes for your skin to absorb the sunscreen so it should be applied a good time before you actually head out to the sun. Sunscreen can sometimes be broken down by water or moisturizers so it’s best if it’s the last product used on the skin especially in the face area.
Sunscreen is not the only way to protect yourself though! Make sure to check the weather report for the UV index. UV rays can go through clouds and water. If it says it’s over three, make sure you protect yourself a little more.
Sunglasses can help protect your eyes since UV rays can cause eye problems. Also wear a wide hat to protect all areas of your head, and finally just stay in the shade as much as you can.
So remember to stay safe in the sun!
Mariana Morales is a full-time student at Conestoga College studying Print Journalism. She enjoys photography and is a volunteer at the Snap KW newspaper. What makes her different? She loves video games. In her spare time, she writes articles for a gaming website called Hooked Gamers. She hopes one day to work in the video game industry. Follow her on Twitter.