Why Is It Really Important To Be Using Sunscreens?
The simple answer to that is everybody! Sure, there are different types of skin. Some people’s skin is extremely sensitive to the sun and will burn easily and never tan. Some will burn a lot and tan a little. Of course there are those whom we envy: those who rarely burn and immediately tan. One would think that those people whose skin is naturally insensitive to the sun need not worry about wearing sunscreens. But this is not true. Even people who get fewer sunburns can develop melanoma, the most common form of skin cancer. Everyone who is exposed to the sun is at risk.
Why? The sun’s rays consist of two types of hazardous ultra-violet rays, UVA and UVB. The UVB rays are the ones that cause the sunburn. Of course with each sunburn a person gets, his or her chances of skin cancer are increased. That is not the only danger. There are also the UVA rays to consider. These rays do not cause burning but they do penetrate deeper into the skin, affecting the body’s immune system and stifling how it combats cancer. Both kinds of UV rays do their part in increasing cancer risks.
Just because you aren’t actually burning, the risk is still there. Every time you are exposed to the sun, you are exposed to these ultra-violet rays. Sunscreens are made to block out the UVA and UVB rays. Applying a sun block is important no matter how much time you will be spent in the sun, not just if you plan to be outside for a long time or lying at the beach.
Even just a few minutes in the sun increases the risk; just walking from and back to your car counts! Believe it or not, sun exposure is even a risk when you are inside. This is because unlike UVB rays that cannot penetrate glass, UVA rays are not blocked out by glass.
If that sounds unlikely, think about this: Have you had or has anyone you know had one of their arms tanner than the other? The tan arm is the one exposed frequently to sunlight coming in through the car window. Even extremely fair people who almost never tan will have a tan arm. And yet they never got sunburn! The arm is exposed to UVA rays everyday and the damage is being done.
Sunscreens offer a different “SPF.” What is that exactly? SPF (Sun Protection Factor) calculates the amount of time it will take a person to burn while wearing the sunscreen by comparing it to how long it would take that same person to burn without the sunscreen. Wearing an SPF 10 for example, will give 10x the time. In other words, if you would normally burn in 10 minutes with no sunscreen, an SPF 10 will give you 100 minutes. This is a just one and a half hours.
Along with a high SPF, you will also want to check for ray-blocking ingredients. Octyl methoxycinnamate, Octyl salicylate, Oxybenzone, Avobenzone, Cinoxate, Ecamsule, Menthyl anthranilate, Sulisobenzone, Titanium dioxide, and Zinc oxide are some of the effective ones to look for.
To help prevent skin cancer, it is important to limit sun exposure. Wear hats, keep yourself covered up, try to find a shady spot whenever you are outside and always apply sunscreens!
When you go out into the sun for a long period of time, make sure you apply sunscreen. Sunscreens will help protect your skin. Remember to research it and find the best for the best protection.
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