How to Choose a Sunscreen?

We've been talking about sunburns: what they are and how to soothe them. Now let's take a look at how we can prevent them by choosing a sunscreen.

Choosing a sunscreen is not as easy as it used to be, there are so many options out there, but trying to compare one sunscreen to another can be complicated.

There are 17 sunscreen ingredients that have been approved for use in the US by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); they include both chemical and physical substance. The ingredients can be effective and safe if used properly, but which ingredient is best for you? Babies and toddlers have different sun protections needs than adults, while sunscreens made for dry skin may not suit people with acne or rosacea.

• Chemical sunscreen ingredients, like PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) and cinnamates, absorb UV rays and convert the sun's radiation into heat energy. While physical sunscreens including zinc oxide and titanium dioxide deflect and scatter the rays before they penetrate your skin.

We used to look at the high sun protection factor (SPF) to get the protection of the UV rays, but this only refers to the blockage of UVB rays only. Now we have to look for both UVB and UVA protection, which UVA rays do not cause sunburn, but they penetrate the skin deeply and cause wrinkles. Ingredients with broad-spectrum protection for both UVA and UVB protection include benzophenones (oxybenzone), cinnamates (octylmethyl cinnamate and cinoxate), sulisobenzone, salicylates, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone (parson 1789) and ecamsule (Mexoryl SX).

While choosing the right sunscreen is important, it won't help much if you do not use it daily, but more importantly, correctly. Here are a few tips to help you use it correctly:

• Apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes prior to going out into the sun.
• Use about 1 ounce (or 2 tablespoons) to cover your whole body. Don't skimp.
• Don't forget the easy-to-miss spots, like the tips of your ears, your feet, the back of your legs, and bald spots. Since our lips can also get sunburned, use a UV-protective lip balm and reapply it regularly.
• No matter how long-lasting it is supposed to be, reapply every 2 hours, and more often if you are sweating or getting wet.
• Pay attention to the expiration date on the bottle. Sunscreen loses its effectiveness over time.
• Wear sunscreen whenever you are out during the day, not only when it is hot and sunny, but when it is overcast too. During the winter months it is also important, as the sun is reflecting off of the snow and have the same damaging effects on your skin.
• Watch the clock. The sun's rays are strongest between 10 am and 4 pm.