How Does Sunscreen Work

Skin cancer is an increasingly prevalent disease that is caused by over exposure to Ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This combined with certain genetic predispositions, like fair skin (small amount of melanin), can make a person particularly vulnerable to developing skin cancer.

Most people get exposed to UV radiation from spending time in the Sun. As it is practically impossible to avoid being in the Sun, minimizing the amount of time spent in the Sun or limiting it's impact on the skin is often advised. This article will cover some of the ways to protect yourself from the damaging affect of the Sun. It concentrates on how sunscreen can protect you from developing skin cancer.

Before covering how does sunscreen work, it should be reiterated that sunscreen is not the only way to protect your skin from the sun. It should be used in conjunction with some of the ideas covered below.

Avoiding over exposure to UV rays is done by avoiding exposure to the Sun. The worst time to be in the sun is around midday when it is high in the sky. A few hours either side of this time are also bad. Try to avoid being in the Sun around this time. If you are in the Sun around this time, or any time for that matter, take precautions.

Wear protective clothing. Darker colored garments are better than lighter ones. Cover your arms with a long sleeve shirt. Cover your legs with long pants or socks.

Wear a hat when in the sun. This will protect your scalp, face and eyes from UV rays. A wide brimmed hat is best as it provides more protection. Other people use a sun umbrella but a hat is better.

Wear a good pair of sunglasses, as skin cancer can also affect the eyes.

After you have done these things you should then consider wearing sunscreen. Cover the parts of your body that are not covered by clothing. Some advise to cover the arms and legs with sunscreen even if they are covered by clothings as you might roll up your sleeves and it doubles the protection.

Sunscreen comes in two forms. There is chemical sunscreens that absorb UV rays and physical sunscreens that reflect the UV rays (sometimes referred to as sun blocks).

A way to determine the effectiveness of a sunscreen is to look at it's Sun Protection Factor (SPF). The popular recommendation in this respect is to always go for an SPF of 30+.  SPF pertains to the ability to protect the skin from UVB radiation that is thought to be the worst form of radiation for sun burn and skin cancer. However, it does not protect against UVA radiation, which researchers feel can be just as dangerous as UVB. Products that are known as Broad Spectrum sunscreens protect against both UVB and UVA rays.

Sunscreens that act as a sun block are particularly useful if you work outdoors or spend plenty of time in the Sun. They are a thick cream that provides a barrier to the sunlight. People often put them on sensitive parts of the body like the lips and nose.

Sunblocks normally consist of titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. If you don't like the prospect of having a large white band across your nose then an alternative is to get ultramicronized titanium or zinc sunscreens. They do the same job of reflecting the sunlight but do make you look like you have warpaint on.

Another aspect of sunscreen is that it will only last for around 2 hours so you must always reapply it after this time limit. It may be even shorter if you are very active or are swimming. You should also apply it before you go into the Sun and not once you are in it for obvious reasons but people often don't do this.

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