Now that we are out of the house, we need to be careful of the coronavirus and the sun
2020-05-06 17:00:00
Doktoreshë Silva
How to choose sunscreen?
In the month of sensitizing the population to skin cancer and melanoma, the use of sunscreen is most often heard, as one of the preventive measures for the development of these lesions. But how to choose a sunscreen? How to read the data in the cream box and what they mean… As a start, I want to emphasize that no cream protects you 100% from UV radiation, but choosing the right product increases protection up to 98- 99%, always if you apply it in the right amount and frequency.
The first criterion that the cream must meet to be a good protector is the wide spectrum of action. This means that if a cream is a broad-spectrum protector, it protects against both UVA and UVB rays. UVB rays are responsible for sunburn and skin cancer, while UVA ones cause premature skin aging (photoplaque). So, according to the American Cancer Society, you should keep in mind that if a product does not have a broad spectrum of protection, it only protects you from sunburn and not skin cancer and photoaging.
Another indicator of good protection is high SPF, above 30. SPF is the FDA-approved standard (food and drug administration) and indicates the level of protection against UVB rays. The high number of SPFs indicates greater protection, but according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and the American Cancer Society, as this number increases, the difference in increased protection decreases. Thus a cream with SPF 15 or less, translated into figures, provides a protection of about 93% from UVB radiation and is considered protective only against sunburn but not from photopolarity and the development of skin cancer. If the cream has SPF 30 it protects to 97% from UVB, SPF 50 protects to 98% and SPF 100 protects to 99% from UVB radiation. Having said that, you should keep in mind that even if you apply sunscreen properly, it is important to avoid sun exposure at peak hours of ultraviolet radiation, use special clothing and hats, and avoid tanning. solar cabin.
Another term we read in the sunscreen box is "water resistant". According to the FDA, this term indicates the maximum time that a cream is present on wet skin. This duration for a "water resistant" cream is 40 minutes, and for a "very water resistant" cream it is up to 80 minutes. Therefore, for maximum protection from UV radiation, re-application every 2 hours of the cream is required, re-application after sweating, getting out of the water and wiping with a towel.
So, regardless of skin type, these are the 3 main criteria for a protective cream to provide maximum protection from sunlight: 1. wide range of action, 2. SPF 30 or higher, 3. be "water resistant".
Once your cream meets these criteria, you need to choose based on your skin type.
People with oily or acne prone skin should choose a non-comedogenic sunscreen, which means that the cream does not clog the pores of the acne-prone unit from blocking their accumulation of fat. , dead cells and waste products applied to the skin as well as environmental impurities.
If you have sensitive skin you should choose a cream for this skin type and usually in such creams you will find the mineral mark sunscreen, sensitive skin or cream that contains only physical filters and not chemical filters. The term "sensitive skin" means that the cream contains only physical filters, does not contain fragrance, parabens or active ingredients found in the cream with a chemical filter and is hypoallergenic.
The physical or chemical filter shows the mechanism of how the cream protects against UV rays.
Physical filters carry out refraction of light rays on the surface of the skin (ie they do not penetrate the skin). This is because after applying the cream, the filters stay on the surface of the skin forming a protective physical barrier and removing UV rays. These filters do not penetrate the skin, nor do they cause irritation or eye burns. A protective cream with only physical filters can often be found with the note "baby" because for young children but over 6 months it is advisable to use a protective cream only with physical filters because it is less irritating to their delicate skin. In content, a cream with physical filters contains zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Just keep in mind that such a cream opens a little harder on the skin leaving it white.
While creams with chemical filters (avobenzene, oxybenzone) absorb and eliminate UV rays on the skin, they spread and absorb more easily on the skin without leaving it white. But they can be more irritating to him, and cause eye burns when applied to the face. If you have normal, non-irritated skin, you can choose a protective cream with chemical filters or for maximum protection combined with chemical and physical filters.
An important factor for maximum protection is not only the choice of sunscreen but also the amount of application. According to the FDA, 2mg of cream should be applied in one square centimeter of skin, which is calculated for the face and neck, an amount of half a teaspoon is needed, while the whole body needs about 28 ml. That said, if you use make-up (foundation) with high SPF keep in mind that you are not maximally protected from sunlight as make-up is not applied in the amount that sunscreen should be. So in case you are also looking for skin color coverage, either choose protective cream with the right and colored parameters (tinted), or apply the colorless protective product and with chemical filters and apply the foundation on it.
Dr. Silvana Mishtaku
Dermatologist-Venereologist
VIVIA Clinic, American Hospital 3
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: silvanamishtaku
