Sunscreen and Sunblock: Simplified

Fact: Filipinos are generally darker than Caucasians, and are used to the sun due to the country’s tropical climate.

Fiction: Filipinos are immune to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.

With the slow but sure depletion of the Earth’s ozone layer, the sun’s ultraviolet rays are currently more harmful than ever. Skin cancer can be acquired just by staying too long under the sun especially between 10 o’clock in the morning and 4 o’clock in the afternoon where the sun’s most harmful effects are at its peak. Exposure to the sun is inevitable but protecting your skin from it is not. By simply using a sun protection cream, you may be able to fight off the sun’s damaging effects and maintain a healthy skin.

Sun Protection 101

Sunscreen or Sunblock?

Some say that sunblocks and sunscreens are just the same; that both are merely sun protection skin creams. That statement may be true; however, a sunblock and a sunscreen have different functionalities.

The sunscreen works to absorb ultraviolet radiation. It basically guards our skin against UV penetrations. Its main ingredients are chemicals and may not be suitable for people with sensitive skin.

On the other hand, the sunblock, from its name, physically blocks both UVA and UVB unlike the sunscreen. Its main ingredients are zinc oxide and titanium. However, sunblocks are usually visible because of its opaque appearance and leave the skin feeling greasy and sticky.

UVA and UVB?

There are two types of ultraviolet radiation and they are known as the UVA and the UVB. UVA being the “aging ray” while UVB being the “burning ray”.

UVA causes the skin to hasten its aging process which leads to photo-aging and wrinkling when it reaches the deepest layers of the skin.

UVB, meanwhile, is the one that causes sunburn, melasma, and hyperpigmentation, among others.

Bottom line is, both rays can give you skin cancer.

SPF?

These three letters are usually seen on a sunblock/sunscreen’s package, but what does this really mean and how does it help?

SPF stands for Sun Protective Factor, which usually protects against UVB rays. According to an article by Melissa Jeffries at Discovery Fit and Health, there is an equation that can be used to figure out how long you can stay in the sun with a given SPF:

Minutes to burn without sunscreen x SPF number = Maximum sun exposure time

Simply put, if you normally get a sunburn after 10 minutes of being exposed to the sun, an SPF of 15 will allow you to stay under the sun for 150 minutes without burning. The article, “Sunblock or Sunscreen: Which Should You Use?” in www.filipinobeauty.com provided the rates of the usual SPFs available:

SPF 15 blocks 94% of UVB Rays
SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB Rays
SPF 45 blocks 98% UVB Rays

Higher SPFs does not necessarily mean that it can protect you 100% from the sun; it just simply decreases the chance of skin damage from prolonged sun exposure. Experts say that SPF 15 is adequate for daily use, while anything above SPF 30 is too much except if you have special skin care needs.

Remember that sunscreens and sunblocks are not meant to be exclusively used when taking a dip in the pool or when going to the beach. With the constant climate change, it is important to be wary and keep our bodies healthy, which of course, includes our skin.

Application of sunblocks and sunscreens

While sunblocks and sunscreens have its benefits, the correct way of maximizing it is to apply it generously and correctly!  It’s a cardinal rule to remember that the facial skin is NOT the same as your body.  This means that applying a sunblock or sunscreen to your face MUST be one that says it’s for your face.  Remember the one made for the face is a lighter lotion while the one for the body has a heavier content. The only one used generally for the body is for swimming.  This means that when you take a splash in the pool, you must apply the sunblock BEFORE and AFTER swimming.  Remember, the lotion or cream is not epoxy and hence, not permanent.  It gets washed off after 15 minutes in the water.

To get the maximum benefit, correct application is always the key.