| Sun Protection: Usage of Sun Screens
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Sun Protection: Usage of Sun Screens
Sun protection, as the term indicates, is protecting you against the damaging rays of sun. UV radiations of sun have adverse effects over the skin. Heat poses hazards to the body, besides that, heat from sun can cause sunburns, which are very damaging to the skin and is a cause of skin cancer.
How to protect skin from Sun:
· The best way to prevent sunburn is to limit your exposure to sun. Avoid moving out between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
· Always wear proper clothes to cover your skin, cover even hands and legs. Wear a wide rimmed hat and sunglasses to protect eyes.
· Apply sunscreen with minimum SPF 15 to protect your skin from harmful sunrays.
· Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before going out and repeat its application after 20 minutes being in sun. If you spend longer time in sunlight, repeat applying sunscreen.
· Reflective surfaces such as water, sand, tile, snow etc can increase the risk of skin damage; so try to keep away from them.
· Remember this advice: you need to seek a shade if your shadow is shorter than you are.
Sunscreen: What does it mean?
Sunscreen is any material offering guard against the UV radiations of the sun. You can find it in many forms like lotion, cream, gel or spray, which you can apply over the skin. It can be in the form of a stick to be applied on lips, nose or eyelids. Many moisturizing lotions are also equipped with sunscreen. These moisturizers work in dual way by moisturizing and offering sunscreen to the skin.
Every sunscreen lotion or cream has a SPF, which means sun protection factor. SPF indicates how long a sunscreen can be effective over the skin. A number such as 15, 30 or 50, indicates SPF. To know effectiveness of a sunscreen, first determine the time your skin takes to get sunburn without a sunscreen. Then multiply this duration with SPF number. If it takes 10 minutes for a person to get sunburn without sunscreen, then a cream with SPF 15 will protect him for 150 minutes. People with sensitive skin, which gets rashes very quickly in sunlight, should wear a sunscreen with SPF 30 or more. There are two types of UV radiations of sun; UV-A and UV-B. Some sunscreen lotions protect only against UV-A radiations. You should choose sunscreen, which protect against both type of UV rays. These sunscreens are called broad-spectrum sunscreens.
Zinc oxide or titanium dioxide present in sunscreen lotions, absorb the UV rays. Zinc oxide is more effective than titanium dioxide. Octocylene, known as cinnamate, is a chemical, which absorbs both UVA and UVB rays.
How to apply sunscreen over the skin for effective sun protection:
Apply sunscreen very liberally; do not skimp, as it will not give you proper sun protection. To let the sunscreen soaked in skin, apply it at least 20 minutes before going out. Repeat its application if you stay longer time in sunlight; basic rule is to reapply it every two hours. Also it gets wiped out of the skin by water or perspiration. Apply it after bathing, swimming, heavy perspiration. However, there water resistant sunscreen also available but they too have a time limit for being effective.
Caution about sunscreen:
Sunscreen is effective for sun protection but there is word of caution too. Sunscreen lotions may react with skin of some people. In fact some sunscreens which contain PABA ( para-aminobenzoic acid) may increase chances of sunburn. Whenever you try a new product for sun protection, always do a patch test.
Apply it over small area on skin. To do this test cover full body with clothes and keep small patches uncovered. Then apply this sunscreen over that patch of skin and expose it to sun. If it reacts, then you should not use that sunscreen.
Do not apply sunscreen to infants as they cannot tolerate the chemicals contained in sunscreens; instead keep them covered and shaded.
Sun protection is necessary in cloudy season also as UV rays cause equal harm at that time too. In winters also, sun protection is needed though intensity of rays is less. You need sun protection all the year round.
Applying sunscreen and wearing sunglasses are part of sun protection; the main importance should be given to limiting your sun exposure and wearing clothes covering your body properly.
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