With summer (finally) in full swing, it likely means you recently found yourself at a crossroads sunscreen aisle: Do you buy mineral or organic" Spray, lotion or stick" SPF 30, 50 or 60" Do kids really need kid-specific sunscreen"
To break down the complexities of SPF, we asked Aleyna Zarras, regional trainer and skin expert for La Roche-Posay, all of our burning sun care questions.
So, what is SPF"
A big myth out there is that SPF is a measurement of time, says Zarras. ?The thought is the higher the SPF number, the more minutes you can spend carefree in the sun without reapplication,? she explains. Rather, SPF or ?Sunburn Protection Factor? evaluates the UVB protection that the sunscreen provides.
“SPF is actually calculated [scientifically] by the quantity of UVB rays it takes for the skin to turn red” Zarras explains. UVA and UVB rays come from the sun but UVB are primarily what cause our skin to turn red and give us a sunburn when not protected properly.” As per Health Canada guidelines, no matter what SPF is used, reapplication should be a minimum of two hours; sooner if swimming, sweating or toweling off.
What?s the difference between UVA and UVB rays?and how can we protect against both"
?UVA and UVB rays both cause damage to our DNA, which can cause skin cancer, but UVA goes further [into the skin],? says Zarras.
UVB rays account for about five percent of rays coming from the sun. They directly affect the epidermis of o...