We all know by now that doctors and researchers are saying that sun exposure is responsible for up to ninety-percent of premature aging and skin disease. What you probably don`t know is that the efforts you make to protect yourself from the sun`s damaging rays by applying sunscreen are most likely minimally helpful at best, if not completely futile. All this time that Americans have been applying sunscreen and thinking that they are protecting their skin from the early signs of aging, they have in fact continued to exposed to the harmful rays of the sun.

What You Probably Don`t Know About Your Sunscreen

Most Americans aren`t educated about how sunscreen really functions and exactly what is involved in protecting skin and they blindly grab the first bottle with packaging that boasts the highest SPF (sun protection factor.) However, the fact is that these sunscreens are not protecting you from the sun. The fact that they give you a false sense of protection actually causes more harm by making you believe you can soak up the sun safely - all the while you are damaging your skin.

The sun`s rays are measured in three different types of ultraviolet rays - A, B, and C. UVC rays are absorbed by the atmosphere, UVB rays are absorbed by the outer epidermis layer of the skin, and UVA rays are absorbed deeper in the skin. UVB rays are damaging to the skin in the same way that UVA rays are in that they break down collagen and produce free radicals, however UVA rays penetrate deeper in the skin. The problem arises when the majority of sunscreens protect only against UVB rays. That means when we purchase a sunscreen with an SPF factor of 15 and sit in the sun for three hours, we are freely exposing ourselves to harmful UVA rays with absolutely no protection.

What Sunscreen Should I Be Using?

Since protection against UVA rays cannot be measured in the SPF format that UVB rays are, the only way to tell if your sunscreen protects skin from UVA rays is to look at the ingredients. Many sunscreens will say they offer "full-spectrum" protection. However, the ingredients to look for are zinc oxide and avobenzone.

What Is the Proper Way to Use Sunscreen?

Another notoriously unknown fact leading to skin damage is how to properly apply sunscreen. Sunscreen should be applied liberally - meaning that it should be a thick film on the skin - at least thirty minutes before going into the sun to allow the skin to absorb it. Regardless of what the SPF, it should be reapplied at least every 1-2 hours and even more often if swimming, sweating, or at high altitudes and reflective surfaces like snow. The lighter your skin tone, the more often you will want to apply as well. Don`t forget about smaller areas like lips, creases, and the back of the neck and ears. Use a lip balm that contains sunscreen. In short, don`t skimp!

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