Sunscreens are increasingly becoming a part of the morning routine for most people, especially women for protecting the skin’s appearance and health by combating the harmful UV rays of sunlight. Sunscreens are a must for your skincare routine because your skin needs protection, even indoors. Although outdoor use of sunscreens is most prevalent, the importance of its indoor use has the full support of science. Therefore, you can use sunscreens throughout the day and night as recommended by the beauty and skin experts. However, the primary purpose of sunscreen is to protect the skin from sun exposure that can cause dark spots, sunburns, and skin cancer. The harmful ultraviolet rays of sunlight pose a high risk of skin cancers throughout the year. Using sunscreens when moving outdoors, especially when spending time under the sky is the best way to fight sun damage to the skin and prevent premature aging.
The dangers of UV rays:
Sunscreens have a variety of chemical ingredients that effectively block the harmful UV-A and UV-B rays of sunlight that damage the skin. Both types of UV rays can cause extensive skin damage and are causes of cancer. But, the risk is higher for UV-B rays, which are behind most cases of skin cancers, including malignant melanoma or the deadly black mole cancer and sunburn. UV-A rays have a lower risk of cancer but are more responsible for premature aging, including the formation of wrinkles. The proportion of UV-A rays in sunlight is 500 times more than the UV-B rays. The majority of sunscreens available in the US and Europe are more effective in fighting UV-A rays, whereas Australian sunscreens are effective in fighting UV-A and UV-B rays.
Sun filters used in sunscreens:
Sunscreens contain some essential ingredients (chemicals) that act as filters and absorb harmful UV rays before it reaches the skin. The sun filters protect the skin from sun damage, reduce the chances of skin cancer, and can even prevent it. In addition, the filters prevent sunburn, the appearance of dark spots, and premature skin aging.
Sun filters are of two types – organic sun filters and mineral sun filters. Organic sun filters absorb YV-A and UV-B rays, but mineral sun filters mostly create a barrier for UV-B rays and less for UV-A rays. To ensure the broadest protection, sunscreen products usually have a combination of filters because each type of filter offers some specific protection.
Knowing the ingredients used in sunscreens should help to understand the extent of protection available from a particular sunscreen. Zinc Oxide and Titanium dioxide are mineral filters, while Tinosorb-S and Mexoryl XL are organic filters.
What is SPF?
When buying any sunscreen, you should focus on the SPF boldly imprinted on the tube of the product. SPF or Sun Protection Factor is a number that indicates the sunscreen’s ability to provide protection. The greater the SPF higher is the protection.
Therefore, when you are venturing outdoors and require protection from UV-A and UV-B rays, you should choose some sunscreen with SPF 50 or higher. When indoors, using sunscreens with SPF 30 provides enough protection.