SPF stands for sun protection factor. Although vital, this is not the only important piece of information to pay attention to when purchasing sunscreen. The purpose of sunscreen is to help protect your skin by either absorbing the rays or causing the rays to disperse. There are two different types of UV rays, UVB and UVA. UVB rays are the ones that most sunscreens protect you from because they cause sunburn. UVA rays cause just as much damage as UVB rays, but it is less noticeable because instead of sunburn, they produce wrinkles.

The SPF number ( Everyone has different needs within a sunscreen, and the right kind for you is based on how easily you burn.

Some of the other common names for sunscreen include sunblock and suntan lotion. Interestingly enough, the only term approved by the FDA is sunscreen. This means that ultimately sunblocks and suntan lotions need no scientific support that their product protects from UV rays because it isn’t technically under the approved FDA name.

The main reason people use sunscreen is to protect yourself from skin cancer in the future. Although some people argue that sunscreen doesn’t have a large enough effect on one’s protection from certain cancers, regular use of sunscreen, or daily use, can greatly improve one’s chances of avoiding cancers. In an Australian study, 1,600 participants were split into a control and a test group. The control group changed nothing about how they were using sunscreen, while the test group was given instructions about how to apply and when to apply sunscreen. The types of sunscreen were also being taken into consideration to account for the active ingredients in the different brands. After ten years, the study found that 22 people in the control group developed Melanoma versus only 11 people in the test group. Also, the Melanoma spots on the skin were found to be significantly smaller if there at all. Genetic predisposition is another factor taken into consideration, people who are extremely fair skinned and cannot tan, are at an extremely high risk for getting cancers. Also, individuals with ongoing skin conditions have an increased chance
of developing the second most common type of skin cancer known as SCC. These skin conditions include eczema, psoriasis, warts, and rosacea.

The way sunscreen is applied is a key component of its ability to protect you. Most importantly, lotion is always a better option than spray, because it is easier to see where it has already been applied.

Sunscreens offer increased protection when used and applied correctly. The highest SPF does not meant it is the best sunscreen, you should use the sunscreen that best fits your skin type and will therefore protect you best from the sun’s UV rays.