The Heat is On
The latest and greatest info on how to prevent sunburn, photoaging and skin cancer this summer and beyond
For those still confused about which sunscreen options work best, you’re definitely not alone. In fact, despite extensive media coverage of the many merits of sun protection (it prevents wrinkles, age spots, painful sunburns and disease!), skin cancer accounts for nearly half of all cancers in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. This year alone an estimated 68,000 Americans will be diagnosed with a new case of malignant melanoma (the deadliest form of skin cancer), and an additional two million Americans will receive a new basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer diagnosis.
Prefer to avoid adding to those statistics? Here the experts share the latest facts on what you should be looking for in sun protection.
How to SPF
According to Mary Sheu, MD, the associate residency director for the Department of Dermatology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md., SPF (or Sun Protection Factor) is a measure of the degree of protection you can expect from UVB rays, the ultraviolet radiation that causes sunburn and is the key culprit behind skin cancer. “An SPF of 15 means that, when applied properly, wearing the sunscreen allows you to stay in the sun 15 times longer without getting a sunburn than you could if you were not wearing sunscreen,” she explains.
Most of us, however, fail to slather ourselves with sunscreen in the same way that manufacturers do when they are testing their products and assigning the SPF value, Sheu notes. The recommended quantity is a teaspoon for the face and a shot glass for the body, but most people only use a quarter to half that amount. “This means that when we apply a sunscreen with SPF 30 on the label, our ‘real life’ application may only be offering us an SPF of 7,” Sheu says. For this reason, she advises starting a higher SPF in the first place.
The Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF) recommends the use of a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher for daily use, says Adele Quintana, MD, educational spokesperson for the New York City-based organization. (UVA rays are the ones that cause skin aging, wrinkles and loss of elasticity, as well contribute to skin cancer and cataracts.) For extended outdoor activity, the SCF recommends using a water-resistant broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
Either way, try to apply your sunscreen 30 minutes prior to when you plan on going outside to allow it time to bind to the skin, says Sheu. And remember to reapply every two hours or less, as sunscreen can rub off on clothing and towels, wear off with perspiration and water, or become inactivated with prolonged sun exposure.
Ingredients to Look For
Once again, your top priority is to find a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. That said, there is no standard rating for UVA protection on sunscreen labels in the U.S., thus you’ll want to look for products that contain known effective blockers like zinc oxide, Parsol 1789 (aka avobenzone) or Mexoryl (aka ecamsule or Anthelios), says Sheu. “UVA is present from dawn to dusk and on overcast days, and penetrates through glass, so it’s important to wear a UVA-protecting sunscreen year round, even if you’re only planning to be in the car or next to a window.”
Fancy, expensive sunscreens will not protect you any better than a drugstore bottle if they don’t contain the ingredients listed above, Quintana adds.
If you have sensitive skin or eyes, try a product that uses a physical blocker such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, crushed metals that reflect UV rays. Most “all natural” sunscreens contain one or both of these ingredients, says Sheu, who recommends them for babies and young children. If you’re not a fan of the whitish film some of these natural products can leave behind, look for “micronized” or tinted versions.
Additional Protection
A few years back you may have heard the hype about oral “sunscreen” pills like Heliocare. These products work by providing antioxidants (such as Polypodium leucotomos, an extract derived from a tropical fern) to destroy free radicals that are released during UV exposure, Quintana explains. “But although there’s some scientific data to support the benefits, these products only provide an SPF 3.” For this reason, you should only use the pills in addition to sunscreen, as well as wearing protective clothing and glasses and seeking shade during peak sun hours.
Want a cheaper and easier way to potentially give your sun protection some extra pep? Quintana recommends eating plenty of deep green, yellow and red fruits and vegetables, all of which contain antioxidants that help in repairing free radical damage.
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