(HealthDay): Sunscreen is not just for pool meetings and beach outings: daily use of sunscreens can reduce the risk of skin cancer, experts say.
Daily use of at least one SPF 15 sunscreen can reduce the risk of melanoma, the deadliest type skin cancer: by 50%, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.
If you spend most of the day indoors, SPF 15 should provide adequate protection, but if you spend more time outdoors during the hottest part of the day, you should wear sunscreen with a Higher SPF and maybe one that is also water and sweat. resistant, according to Hackensack Meridian Health, a health network in New Jersey.
SPF means “sun protection factor“, and the number indicates how long it takes the sun’s UVB rays to redden the skin while wearing sunscreen, compared to how long sunscreen is not needed.
This means that if you use an SPF 30 product according to the instructions, it will take 30 times longer to burn than if you did not use sunscreen.
The best option is a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects both from the rays that burn the skin and from the rays that cause aging and tanning. Health recommended network.
A common problem with sunscreen is that people don’t apply it enough. You should completely cover your body, including your ears, scalp, feet, and neck, and you should apply plenty of sunscreen even on cloudy days, because the sun’s UV rays can penetrate the clouds, va Hackensack Meridian Health explained in a press release.
After applying sunscreen, you should still use other types of protection, such as wide-brimmed hats and UV-blocking sunglasses.
Normally, sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours, especially if you’ve been swimming or sweating.
It is also important to check the expiration date of the sunscreen. Most sunscreens are designed to maintain their original level of protection for up to three years. If you have a sunscreen that has expired or is more than three years old, throw it away.
Sunscreens that have been exposed to high temperatures or that show obvious changes in color or consistency should also be discarded, the group said.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has more advantages sunscreens.
Copyright © 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Citation: Bright light on sunscreens (2021, July 5), retrieved July 5, 2021 at https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-07-sunscreens.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair treatment for the purposes of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without written permission. Content is provided for informational purposes only.