How to Choose the Right Sunscreen for You
How do you know if your sunscreen offers the right protection from harmful UVB and UVA rays? Is the SPF high enough? What sunscreen should children use? These are important questions to address in making sure you are getting the best sunscreen protection to shield your skin.
Check the ingredients
Go to your bathroom cupboard (or wherever you keep your sunscreen) and look at the ingredient list on your sunscreen bottle. Are you aware of what your sunscreen should include so it provides optimal protection for your skin? UVA (Ultraviolet A rays) and UVB (Ultraviolet B rays) are both cancer-causing. UVA rays don’t cause sunburn but they can penetrate the skin’s layers and cause wrinkles and early aging. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 90% of skin aging is the result of exposure to UVA rays.
To protect against cancer-causing rays and sunburn, here’s what your sunscreen should include: an SPF of 15 or higher (get 30 or higher if you have fair or sensitive skin), and it should contain one of the following: ecamsule, avobenzone, oxybenzone, titanium dioxide, sulisobenzone, or zinc oxide. Also, Ingredients with broad-spectrum protection include benzophenones (oxybenzone), cinnamates (octylmethyl cinnamate and cinoxate), sulisobenzone, salicylates, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone (Parsol 1789) and ecamsule (Mexoryl SX).
Good for kids
If you have kids, you will want to get a sunscreen that is sensitive to younger skin. Their skin can be irritated by the chemicals found in adult sunscreens. Avoid sunscreens with para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and benzophenones like dioxybenzone, oxybenzone, or sulisobenzone. Children’s sunscreen has ingredients that are not as irritable to the skin and do not absorb as well as those found in adult sunscreens. Remember, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies who are under 6 months old should be kept out of the sun.
Schedule a consultation
To find out how Cliento Facial Plastics can improve your look, call us to arrange a consultation. We look forward to helping you look and feel your absolute best this season. You can reach our office at 346-413-9313.