Sun Essentials

What You Must Know

• There is no such thing as a safe tan, whether it is from the sun or a tanning booth. Even if you tan slowly without burning, the damage is hazardous to the health of your skin.
  
  
• UVB radiation is the sun's burning ray and has an immediate, harmful impact on skin. Damage from UVB rays takes place within the very first minute (yes, 60 seconds) of walking outside.
  
  
• UVA rays are the sun's silent killers. You don't feel them but they are the primary cause of skin cancer and wrinkles. (UVA rays penetrate through clear glass windows that do not have a UV coating.)
  
  
• Even on a cloudy or hazy day, the sun's rays are present and impacting the skin.
  
  
• Sitting in the shade or wearing a hat only protects against a portion of the sun's rays. Plus, other surrounding surfaces such as water, cement, and grass reflect the rays from the ground to your skin giving you a double whammy of exposure.
  
  
• Altitude is a sun enhancer: for every 1,000-foot increase in altitude, the sun's potency increases by 4%.
  
  
• According to the FDA, a product's SPF (sunscreen protection factor) number tells you how long you can stay in the sun before getting burned. If you can normally stay in the sun 15 minutes before you start turning pink, an SPF 15 product will let you stay in the sun for approximately 3 1/2 hours without burning. If you begin turning pink after 10 minutes, an SPF 15 will let you stay in the sun approximately 2 1/2 hours. The formula is 10 (minutes) x 15(SPF) = 150 (minutes), or 2 1/2 hours. If you're swimming or perspiring, you must wear a water-resistant sunscreen which provides 40 to 80 minutes of protection before you need to reapply it to maintain a sufficient level of protection.
  
  
• SPF is crucial, but it is only a measurement regarding sunburn (UVB) rays. It is dangerous for your skin to not have UVA protection and many sunscreens do not have ingredients that can provided true full-spectrum (both UVA and UVB) coverage. There are no numbers to tell you about protection from UVA radiation. For that protection you have to check the active ingredient list to see if either zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, avobenzone (which may also be listed as Parsol 1789 or butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane), Mexoryl SX, or Tinosorb (Mexoryl SX and Tinosorb are only available in products sold outside the US). If one of those isn't part of the active ingredient list (it doesn't count if it is just part of the regular or "other" ingredients) you are not applying adequate UVA protection and that is dangerous for your skin.
  
  
• Oxybenzone (also called benzophenone-3) is a UVA-absorbing sunscreen ingredient that sounds similar to avobenzone, but is not the same. There are several sunscreen ingredients approved for use in the United States for sunburn protection. While benzophenones and oxybenzone do provide some UVA protection, they are not as effective as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone, Mexoryl SX, or Tinosorb.
  
  
• For those of you who want more specifics about the issue of UVA vs. UVB protection: According to the Skin Therapy Letter published by the Division of Dermatology at the University of British Columbia (vol. 2, no. 5, 1997), "UVA [range is] 315-400 nanometers." According to the FDA, the UVB range is from 280 to 315. The range of protection for the following sunscreen ingredients is listed as "Padimate O, 290-315 nanometers; Benzophenones, 250-350 nanometers; Octyl methoxycinnamate, 290-320 nanometers; Avobenzone, 320-400 nanometers; Oxybenzone 270 to 350 nanometers; Titanium dioxide, 290-700 nanometers; and Zinc oxide, 290-700 nanometers."
  
  
• There is no such thing as a truly "waterproof" sunscreen and the FDA's 2002 regulations require companies to eliminate the use of the word. However, sunscreens that meet stringent FDA requirements can be labeled "water resistant," which means they need to be reapplied if you've been swimming or sweating for more than 40 minutes and up to 80 minutes for sunscreens labeled "very water-resistant."
  
  
• Crunching the numbers: an SPF 2 blocks about 50% of UVB rays; an SPF 10 filters out about 85% of UVB rays; an SPF 15 stops about 95%; and an SPF 30 stops about 97%. An SPF that's higher than 30 does not provide any more UV protection, it just offers more time that you can stay in the sun without burning.
  
  
• Even if the SPF number on your sunscreen's label is an SPF 50, it still has limitations and can let approximately 3% of UV rays penetrate your skin, which explains why you still might get some color after prolonged exposure to the sun despite slathering sunscreen on your skin.
  
  
• As a general rule it is best to apply sunscreen at least 15 to 20 minutes before sun exposure. This gives the sunscreen time to absorb and to spread over and into the skin.
  
  
• You must apply sunscreen liberally. A study published in the Archives of Dermatology (October 2002, Volume 138, Issue 10, pages m1319-1325) said "Sunscreen users are only applying 50 percent of the recommended amount, so they are only receiving 50 percent of the SPF protection." Because of this issue concerning liberal application, expensive sunscreens can be dangerous to your skin's health. After all, how likely are you to liberally apply a sunscreen from Lancome that costs $32 or, even more absurdly, a sunscreen from La Prairie that costs $150 for 1 ounce?
  
  
• If you are using AHA, BHA, Retin-A, Renova, Differin, or any topical pharmaceutical retinoid, it can make your skin more vulnerable to sun damage due to the surface exfoliation and changes (removing the top layer of sun-damaged skin) caused by using these products. This information does not impact those who are already diligent about using sunscreen, but if you are not being diligent, your skin is even more at risk for sun damage and sunburn, even with minimal with minimal sun exposure.
  
  
• If you are using more than one product that contains sunscreen, the two sunscreens do not add up to one SPF number. In other words, an SPF 8 and an SPF 15 do not add up to an SPF 23. Though you would get an increased SPF value for protection, there is no way of knowing what that increased protection would be. If you want to count on getting an SPF 30's worth of protection, then that is the number you should look for in one product.
  
  
• Getting sunburned is bad enough, but what you may not know is that a sunburn continues to develop for 12 to 24 hours after the initial burn takes place! Treat a sunburn the way you would treat any other burn. Do not cover it with thick salves (thick moisturizers are the worst). These will trap the heat and cause more damage. Get the skin in contact with cool (not cold or icy) water or pure aloe vera immediately (do not put ice directly on the skin—that's too much cold and can cause a different kind of burn). Then keep applying the cool water or pure aloe vera on and off for several hours. You may also want to take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory, such as aspirin, to reduce pain and swelling. If you are unsure what to take, consult your physician.
  
  
• If you have babies or small children, sunscreen protection should be of primary concern. Their delicate skin is even more sensitive to the sun's damaging energy. All sunscreen formulations that have an SPF are regulated closely by the FDA; the formulations don't differ in any way because of the age of the intended user. Of greater concern than the cute packaging on kids' products is that the formulation you choose contains one of these UVA-protecting ingredients: avobenzone, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, Mexoryl SX, or Tinosorb. For more information on protecting small children from the sun, see our Baby Skin Care Section.
  
  
• If you are looking for a less irritating sunscreen for your kids or yourself, choose one that contains only pure titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide as the active ingredient (Paula's Choice Pure Mineral Sunscreen is one option and there are other options available in drugstores and department stores). These non-chemical ingredients are definitely less irritating than other types of sunscreen agents.
  
  
• If you're determined to get a tan, the only safe way to do it is with self-tanning products such as Paula's Choice Almost the Real Thing Self-Tanning Gel or the many other options available at the drugstore, from Neutrogena to Coppertone. You can also go to self-tanning booths offered in many tanning parlors (such as Mystic Tan®) that spray a uniform layer of self-tanner from head to toe. The results can be very impressive, assuming you follow all the pre-spray directions.

Applying Sunscreen Q & A

• At what point in your skin care routine should you apply sunscreen? If you are applying several skin-care products the rule is that the last item you apply during the day is your sunscreen. If you apply sunscreen and then apply your moisturizer or an acne product, you could be inadvertently diluting or breaking down the effectiveness of the sunscreen you've just applied.
  
  
• What about applying foundation (one that doesn't contain sunscreen) over your sunscreen? If the foundation is a thin, watery type foundation or you're using a tinted, lotion type moisturizer (that doesn't contain sunscreen) you would in all likelihood be reducing the potency of the sunscreen underneath. However, if you are applying a standard liquid foundation, a cream to powder foundation, a cream foundation, or a pressed powder foundation, and as long as you are smoothing it over the skin and not over-rubbing it, there is minimal to no risk that you are affecting the sunscreen underneath.
  
  
• What if your foundation is the product you've chosen for sun protection? Then the trick is to be sure you apply it evenly and liberally. If you blend most of it off or apply only a thin layer, you will not get the amount of protection listed on the label. Also, don't forget to apply regular sunscreen (not foundation) to your neck and other exposed areas such as your décolleté or hands.
  
  
• Can I just wear a powder with an SPF rating? I believe that pressed powders with sunscreen are an iffy way to get complete sun protection for the face, but they are a great way to touch up your makeup during the day and reapply sunscreen at the same time! I worry that most women don't apply enough pressed powder to get the SPF protection they need. If you lightly dust the powder over the skin there is no way you will get the SPF protection indicated on the label. You must apply the pressed powder in a manner that completely and evenly covers the face. My Paula's Choice Healthy Finish Pressed Powder SPF 15 and Neutrogena SPF 30 pressed powder are both great choices!

Sunscreens for Oily Skin?
The search for a sunscreen that is appropriate for oily skin can be frustrating. The type of ingredients that can be used to suspend sunscreen ingredients are not exactly the best for oily skin. The sunscreen ingredients themselves can also cause either an irritated breakout reaction or titanium dioxide and zinc oxide can clog pores.

What to do? The only true answer is to experiment. I wish there was a slam-dunk solution I can offer, but neither my line nor anyone else's can legitimately make the claim that their sunscreen won't cause breakouts for anyone.


Related Articles:

10 Steps to the Perfect Self-Tan

Avobenzone: Stable or Unstable?

Vitamin D and Sun Exposure

Paula Begoun