Do you know that the skin should be protected from the sun all year round? In summer and spring you should use creams with higher factor, during the other part of the year you can reach for lower ones. Check how to protect your skin from the Sun properly.

UV filters – what are they and how do they affect the skin?

UV radiation is divided into UVB radiation, which affects skin pigmentation and causes skin cancer, and UVA radiation causing photoaging and wrinkles. There are two types of filters that help to protect from UVA and UVB radiation:

  • chemical – contains substances that have the ability to penetrate into the skin to absorb UV radiation and convert it into thermal energy;
  • physical – remains on the skin surface in the form of a white layer which reflects UV rays.

UV filters in cosmetics

It is hard to buy a product that would protect from both UVA and UVB radiation. The best idea is to buy dermocosmetics in a pharmacy. Products from drugstores don’t usually contain photostable substances that protect from the sun and are not destroyed by it. For this reason also suncreams should be applied several times a day.

How to apply a cream with a UV filter?

  1. During sunbathing apply the cream every two or three hours.
  2. An effective product is one that contains several types of filters.
  3. Approximately 2 ml of cream should be applied to the face.
  4. Use creams with filter also in autumn and winter.
  5. Read the labels carefully: PA – protection grade of UVA, and SPF indicates the time we can spend in the sun.

How is SPF calculated?

It’s possible to burn your skin after only 30 minutes in the sun. If you multiply the time you can spend outside without burning your skin by the UV number, you will receive the maximum time that you can spend in the sun without getting burned. After this time, you should apply the cream again.