Sunscreen is one of the essential skincare products you can invest in! The sun's rays are damaging to our skin, and not only can it cause burns and skin cancer, but it can also speed up the aging process. However, finding a good sunscreen can get confusing. There are so many labels and different symbols, and it can be frustrating to find the correct sunscreen for you. Today, we will talk about the symbol that many people recognize, SPF, and what the different numbers mean.
Sun Protection Factor (SPF)
SPF will measure how much UV rays exposure it takes to get a sunburn on protected skin. When the number of SPF is higher, overall sun protection is increased. Contrary to what some people believe about SPF, SPF 15 does not be that you will be protected for 15 hours. Instead, you will be protected for 150 minutes under the sun. It also means the amount of protection that SPF 15 will provide you. For example, SPF 15 will block 93% of UVB rays.
No matter what SPF number you are using, it would be best if you reapplied all types of sunscreens. The general guide is to reapply sunscreen every 1-2 hours. Without reapplication of sunscreen, the sunscreen will wear off, and you will not be protected anymore. So if you apply your sunscreen in the morning and don't apply it in the afternoon, you would only be protected in the morning for about 2 hours, and in the afternoon, you would have no protection.
What SPF should I use?
It depends on your preference and lifestyle, but for the most part, most dermatologists recommend using SPF 30 or higher for daily use. Below you find how much percent each SPF protects your skin.
- SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays
- SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays
- SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB rays
Some people believe that using SPF 75 or SPF 100 will provide you with 100% protection from UVB rays, but this is not the case. SPF 100 will block 99% of UVB rays, but there is no significant difference between using an SPF 50 sunscreen versus an SPF 100 sunscreen.
What SPF do you like using? And what's your favorite way to reapply sunscreen? Let us know in the comment section below!