SPF. Sun Protection Factor; but do you actually know what this number refers to or why it is important?
SPF refers to how long you are protected from UV Radiation permeating your skin. SPF numbers range from 2-100 and these numbers refer to the product’s ability to block out the sun’s damaging rays.
It is a common misconception the effectiveness of a sunscreen can be calculated by multiplying the SPF by the length of time it normally takes to burn without sunscreen. This is because the amount of sun exposure a person receives is dependent upon more than just the length of time spent in the sun. A number of factors matter including the length of exposure, time of day, geographic location, weather, water, sweat and skin colour!
The best SPF to use on a daily basis is SPF 50 which allows 2% of UV Radiation to penetrate the skin. SPF 15 allows 8% UV radiation exposure and while this may not seem like a massive difference, remember that UV Radiation causes not only cellular damage, but actual DNA changes that cannot be corrected! This damage is permanent and the cellular damage causes premature ageing, pigmentation, wrinkles, second degree burns, solar keratosis, Carcinoma & melanoma (yes, that’s cancer!)
There isn’t a Suncream that currently can block 100% of UV Radiation and this is why it is important to use SPF in conjunction with protective clothing. People also tend to apply sunscreen only on sunny days or when it is hot – and whilst the sun may be stronger in summer, over 80% of UV rays still penetrate clouds and can cause damage even when the sun isn’t visible. The only way to protect yourself is to wear spf EVERY day and remember to reapply!
