Sun Protection: 5 Sunscreen Myths You Should Forget
Does one application of sunscreen last all day, or does it need to be reapplied every couple of hours? We talk about this and other myths that prevent us from protecting our skin from ultraviolet radiation.
Sunscreen is not always needed
In the shade or in cloudy weather, you can not use. Apply all over the body, but only when swimming in the sea or pool. The use of sunscreen has always been shrouded in myths – and this is one of the most popular.
Ultraviolet radiation harms any exposed area of the skin. At least 50% of the rays hit the skin in the shade, and approximately 75% of the radiation passes through the clouds. The truth is that every time the body is exposed to daylight, it is exposed to ultraviolet light. Moreover, UVA rays (which cause skin aging) are practically not filtered. Of course, you won't burn yourself in cloudy weather, but clouds will not prevent the formation of free radicals.
Chemical SPFs Are Dangerous to Your Health
In Runet, you can find dozens of articles about the dangers of chemical filters that are added to sunscreens, gels and sprays. They demonize all chemical filters, but oxybenzone can be considered the culprit. A few years ago, scientists found that this substance causes serious side effects in experimental rats. Considering that oxybenzone has been used for 40 years of sun protection, these are weighty accusations!
But the other day they were removed from oxybenzone. New research has clearly demonstrated that the concentration of oxybenzone in SPF cosmetics is too low to cause harm to humans. And so far, not a single case of negative consequences of its use has been recorded.
Makeup protects the skin from ultraviolet radiation
Make-up can really reduce the level of exposure to sunlight on the epidermis, but only slightly. And then, if you apply a dense layer of foundation, you will agree that this is a dubious option for summer. Therefore, we would not consider it either as the main protection or as an additional one. Moreover, be sure to make sure that the product with SPF becomes the final stage of the make-up. For example, use a sunscreen with a fine mist.
Sunscreen works better than clothes
SPF cream or a hat and light clothing with long sleeves? Rather the second than the first. The fabric protects the skin better than cosmetics. Especially if these are clothes with an additional level of UPF filters that resist two types of rays at once – A and B.
One application of SPF cream lasts all day
If you apply a cream with SPF30-60 units in the morning, this does not guarantee UV protection for the whole day. The numerical indicator shows how much the self-defense of the skin increases. For most people, this figure is no more than 10-15 minutes. For example, SPF50 protects you from ultraviolet radiation for 8 hours, and the classic version of SPF15 for the city – for 2.5 hours.