Best Sunscreen is Dependent on Skin Type

Sunscreens are a lotion that can protect your skin from sunburn. They also keep you from tanning rapidly, which is why a lot of people skip using a sunscreen. But the facts are that your risk for skin cancer goes up with every burn you get. Instead of playing solar lottery, get the best sunscreen available for your skin type. The best sunscreen isn’t necessarily a name brand. It’s all based on the SPF on the bottle.

Sunblocks are sunscreens that absorb over 92 percent of the ultraviolet-B radiation that hits your skin. Ultraviolet-A helps you tan with minimal skin damage but does not cause the more extreme damage UVB causes. An SPF of 15 absorbs 92 percent; an SPF of 30 absorbs 97 percent. No sunblock absorbs all the radiation, but they can minimize it. An SPF of less than 20 is required in order to tan.

The SPF rating is based on how long you can stay outside versus your normal time before you start to burn. So if you start to burn in about five minutes, an SPF of 10 would allow you to stay out for about 50 minutes before burning. Don’t assume that you’re covered for hours, though. No matter what the SPF, your sweat, ambient air humidity, and swimming can wash your sunscreen away. Recommended application amount for sunscreen is about one ounce, and you should reapply every two hours.

The following information will help you determine what your SPF should be.

• If you burn easily and rarely tan: SPF 20 to 30
   
• If you burn easily and tan a little: SPF 12 to 20
   
• If you burn moderately and tan gradually: SPF 8 to 12
   
• If you burn minimally and tan well: SPF 4 to 8
   
• If you rarely burn and tan well: SPF 2 to 4

Sun protection is serious business. It can mean the difference between a long and happy life and serious illness.