20, 30, 50, 70… Sun protection is NOT just about the SPF number!

Plum People | 06 Jun 2019

You probably heard this before, but here it goes: while choosing a sunscreen, you should go beyond just looking at the SPF number. And look at truly caring for your skin when out in the sun. Here’s the lowdown on sun protection… beyond just an SPF number.

Fact 1: More isn’t necessarily better

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Here’s what the SPF number means, and doesn’t:
• An SPF of 30 means that if your skin normally reddens after 20 minutes in the sun, SPF 30 will prolong it by 30 times – so that’s 600 minutes, or 10 hours
• But this is not an absolute number, and varies by individual
• And is dependent on sweat, water etc on the skin – even for “water-resistant” sunscreens
Therefore, don’t take these numbers too seriously.

Fact 2: SPF 40 is not twice as good as SPF 20

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It just means doubly longer protection, not doubly “better” protection. And even so, reapplication during the day is recommended even for high SPF sunscreens.

Fact 3: You need to look for the PA factor

• SPF factor only refers to visible damage (darkening, reddening) from UVB rays
• UVA rays, also part of sunlight, cause more “underlying” damage and wrinkles
• Protection against UVA rays is commonly measured using a PA factor, with PA+, PA++, PA+++ and PA++++ indicating increasing levels of coverage
So, stop looking just at SPF. Look at the UVA protection rating as well!.

Fact 4: How, and how much, you apply matters

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Here’s the “proper” way to apply sunscreen:
• Apply at least 20 mins before you step out in the sun
• Take around half a teaspoonful if just for face & neck, 2 teaspoonfuls for your face and arms, and around 2 tablespoonfuls if you are using sunscreen on your legs as well
• Reapply every 2-3 hours – especially if swimming or sweating a lot, even if the sunscreen claims to be high SPF and water resistant

Fact 5: It’s not just about sunscreen

Physical barriers like hats, umbrellas and clothing make the job of sunscreens a lot easier. Using them will reduce the amount of sunscreen you need, and also make it work better

Fact 6: While protection is great, prep and recovery, are needed too

The impact of UV rays on skin can be lessened by the use of antioxidants, skin restructuring agents and soothing actives. Think sea buckthorn, bio-sugars, gotu kola and aloe as examples. These botanical actives, when introduced in your skin care regime, help it tackle the impact of UV rays way better than just protecting the skin from UV rays would.

There’s no such thing as 100% sun protection. What we can do is to lessen the impact of UV on our skin. And while SPF helps do that, it’s not the whole story!

Related Products:

Green Tea Day-Light Sunscreen Gel SPF35 | PA+++