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The use of a cream with a filter is necessary if you plan to expose your skin to ultraviolet radiation for a long time. Properly used sunscreen protects against sunburn and prevents premature skin aging. However, not always the use of a sunscreen cream does not always mean full protection against these factors. This is due to the fact that very often such preparations are incorrectly selected and used. How to use a sunscreen to make it effective and protect the skin from the sun?
It turns out that, in the light of statistics, more than half of Poles do not protect their skin at all by using a sunscreen, while the other half very often does it incorrectly or chooses the preparation incorrectly. Many people also say that sunscreen should only be used when sunbathing on the beach or in places where they spend their holidays. Of course, there are also people who are aware of the dangers of not protecting the skin from the irritating factor of ultraviolet radiation.
Sunscreen cream – what kind of radiation should it protect?
Solar radiation reaches the earth all year round (with different intensity) in the range of UVA, UVB and UVC radiation. However, all of the UVC radiation is absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere, and the UVB rays are partially retained in the ozone layer.
The ozone layer lets out about 3 percent. UVB radiation that reaches the earth’s surface. The consequence of this state of affairs is reaching as much as 97 percent. UVA radiation to the ground. And it is mainly against UVA radiation that we should protect our skin. Good quality sunscreen creams will also protect against UVB radiation. The UV index changes throughout the year – it depends on the season.
Sunscreen cream – when should we protect the skin?
Keep in mind that the skin is not only exposed to ultraviolet rays from the sun. In fact, our skin needs protection by using sunscreen all year round. This is because some surfaces do not fully absorb solar radiation, on the contrary – they reflect it.
Snow is the factor that most strongly reflects ultraviolet rays. It is white, so it absorbs light beams only in a small amount. Snow reflects up to 95 percent. ultraviolet rays! 25 percent In turn, the sun’s rays are reflected by sand, and only 5 percent. less – water. Grass, in turn, absorbs up to 95 percent. solar radiation, which means that it reflects only 5 percent. ultraviolet rays.
All these data suggest that we should protect the skin not only occasionally, but also when we are in the city, on the ski slope, we do gardening, etc.
Filter cream – how does it work?
The filter cream is designed to reflect the UVA and UVB rays that irritate the skin. Such protection is provided by mineral sunscreen creams rich in zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. On the other hand, in chemical sunblock creams, protection against excessive tan is based on the fact that the sun’s rays are absorbed, but at the same time transformed into heat that has no side effects.
Recently, they are also available on the market sunscreen creams that combine the properties of a mineral and chemical cream. However, chemical sunscreen creams are not recommended for sensitive skin or couperose skin, as they have irritating properties and are not always photostable. In this case, mineral sunblock creams, which often contain skin moisturizers, will be a much better choice.
Each cream with a filter has the abbreviation SPF, which means protection against harmful UVA radiation, and the number next to it indicates the height of the filter used in the preparation. The height of the filter tells you how long you can stay in the sun after applying the cosmetic compared to the time of sunbathing without protection.
Assuming that the average time of appearance of erythema on the skin exposed to sunlight is about 20 minutes in Poland, the skin is protected for 10 minutes after applying a sunscreen with the word SPF 200. The cream with the filter should be applied about 30 minutes before going out, apply a fairly thick layer, using about 2 ml of the cosmetic every 3-20 hours.
Medonet Market offers you a choice of products such as sunscreen SPF 50+, BB cream with SPF 20 filter or SPF 15 dry sun oil spray.
Also read: Best Ways for Sunburn – Filters, Sunburn Relief
Cream with a filter – which one to choose?
In order for a sunscreen cream to be effective, it should be selected to match the skin tone. In our climate, there are only 4 skin types: I – very light, with freckles, blonde or red hair, difficult to tan skin, easily burns – cream with a minimum SPF 30 filter; II – light, blonde or dark blonde hair, the skin gently tans, easily burns – cream with SPF 20 filter (eg. Nourishing and protective cream with SPF 20 Embryolisse filter); III – dark, brown hair, quick tan, rarely burns – cream with SPF 15 filter; IV – dark – brown hair, fast, golden tan, burns very rarely – cream with SPF 10 filter.