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How to Choose a Good Sunscreen or Sunblock

By Diane Hanson

All of us know that using a sunscreen on our face and body is the first line of defense against sunburn. But when it comes to selecting a suitable sunscreen, many people are confused. With so many variety and brands available on the market today, choosing sunscreen isn't as simple as it seems.

As a general guide, you want to buy a sunscreen with ingredients that are effective against both UVA and UVB rays a.k.a. "broad-spectrum" sunscreen, and gives a sun protecting factor (SPF) of at least 15 for daily protection.

If you're going to be outdoors for an extended period, choose those that are SPF 30 or higher. The higher the SPF values, the better protection you get against sunburn-causing UVB rays.

A SPF 30 sunscreen absorbs about 97 percent of UVB rays while a sunscreen with SPF 15 absorbs around 93 percent. However, factors such as perspiration and activity level, your location on Earth (higher altitudes/low latitudes), your proximity to light-reflecting water or sand, and the time of day may change that percentage.

Bear in mind, SPF only measures UVB protection, not UVA. UVA exposure can cause more long term damage such as premature aging of the skin (think photo-aging and wrinkles, A for Aging, B for Burn).

Before you buy a sunscreen, look for sunscreen formulated with ingredients like ecamsule (Mexoryl or Mexoryl SX), avobenzone (sometimes marketed as Parsol 1789), octocrylene, oxybenzone, titanium and/or zinc oxide for added UVA protection.

Most people assume that SPF numbers indicate the duration of a sunscreen's protection – that's a BIG mistake! For instance, they think wearing SPF 30 sunscreen as opposed to wearing SPF 15 means that they can stay in the sun twice as long without reapplication. This is partially correct if you're trying ONLY to prevent sunburn.

A high SPF number doesn't imply increased UVA protection. Confused? Here's how you calculate SPF math – for eaxmple, if your skin would burn in 10 minutes in the afternoon sun without sunscreen, and you applied a sunscreen with an SPF 15, you'd get 15 x 10 = 150 minutes (2½ hours) sun protection before you'd burn.

What about "waterproof" sunscreen? When your skin is submerged in water, all sunscreen will lose some degree of effectiveness. Those bottles labeled "waterproof," "sweatproof" or "extreme" that you see on the shelves, has ingredients which help the lotion or cream better adhere to your skin. Just like regular sunscreen, their effectiveness also diminish with prolonged water contact or profuse perspiration.

Are you deciding between sunscreen or sun block – which is better? Sunscreen absorb UV rays before they damage your skin while sunblock reflects sun's rays, thereby blocking them from reaching your skin. Sunscreen is less visible on skin and needs to be applied about 30 minutes prior to sun exposure for it to soak in and form a layer of protection whereas sunblock often appear white on your skin and doesn't need to be applied before going under the sun. As soon as you rub it on your skin, you're good to go (an ideal choice to use on kids and babies aged 6 months or older).

Now, should you buy lotion, cream or spray? Personally, I don't find much difference between lotions and creams. But I prefer to use a spray on my kids and my husband who has above-average body hair also prefers sprays.

So, what to buy? It all depends on who's using it. Some people are sensitive to ingredients in sunscreen/sunblock, and may develop allergic contact dermatitis or itchy rash. If you've sensitive skin, choose PABA-free, noncomedogenic or oil-free sunscreens/sunblocks.

To buy the best sunscreen or sun block, I suggest you pay close attention to product label, or sample around various brands to see which works for you and your family, and remember to reapply sunscreen or sunblock on dry skin for best sun protection.

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