Do I need to wear SPF? Myths about sun protection and all you need to know about when you need sun screen. Sensitive skin? Breakout prone skin? Sun protection is still important, it's just about choosing the right one for your skin.
Before we talks myths, here's some facts about when and how you should use sun protection...
🌞 You need a shot glass full of sun protection for your body 🌞 And a teaspoon full on your face 🌞 Not all SPF is created equal! Some high factor SPFs only protect against UVB which causes burning and don’t protect well against UVA which causes ageing. Look either for the star rating on the back which should ideally be 5 stars for good UVA protection or choose a Broad Spectrum SPF which means it protects against both UVA and UVB
🌞 Most sun screens are developed for use on the body. Ideally use a skin specific sun protection on your face. One developed by a skincare brand. What you use on your body, may not be right for your face.
🌞 SPF should be used 365 days a year, not just when the sun is out. Have a moisturiser with SPF in that you use every day to save worrying about this. I use Dermalogica’s Dynamic Skin Recovery every day which is SPF 50. If you don’t have an SPF in your favourite moisturiser, you can add Dermalogica’s Solar Defense Booster into any moisturiser or layer it on top. 🌞SPF in two things ie skincare and makeup do not add up to make a higher SPF. It’s great to have SPF layered up but you won’t get a higher SPF by doing so. 🌞 SPF in makeup is fine for walking around and popping into the sunshine in a lunch break but it’s not enough when you are sunbathing. You need to re-apply SPF throughout the day if you are sitting in the sunshine. 🌞 SPF 30 is really the minimum protection you should use when sitting in the sun. SPF 50 for your face ideally. 🌞 Sun exposure is one of the biggest contributors to premature ageing and causes pigmentation. So protect your face when sunbathing if you want to avoid this.
Myth 1: "If I wear SPF, I won't tan"
Do you choose a low SPF because you think you won’t get a tan with a higher SPF? Even with an SPF50 on to protect your skin, your skin will still produce melanin. Melanin is responsible for giving you a tan, as it comes to the surface, it makes your skin darker. A high SPF will prevent the skin burning whilst still allowing a tan to develop. The main thing you want to check when choosing your SPF is that it is broad spectrum which means it has a high protection against UVA rays (the SPF only tells you the protection against UVB rays which cause burning). UVA rays cause ageing on the skin which is one thing we really don’t want! Better still why not choose a moisturiser that contains a high SPF that also works on the signs of ageing?! Win win.
Myth 2: Darker skins don't need sunscreen
“I’ve heard that darker skins have more UV filtration and don’t burn very easily, does this mean I don’t need SPF?” It is true that darker skin types have higher UV filtration than fair skins. However, this only accounts for the equivalent of SPF2 so it is very minimal. In fact, darker skin types are more at risk of pigmentation caused by UV rays. This is because the dendrites that deliver melanin to the skin are longer and thicker in darker skins, so more melanin reaches the skin surface and can go higher into the epidermis, making pigmentation more visible. Therefore it is really important to wear an SPF to protect the skin from ageing and pigmentation. Ideally choose a moisturiser that has SPF30 or 50 in it, so you are protected every day, 365 days a year.
Myth 3: "I can't wear SPF because of my breakouts"
SPF is essential if you have breakout prone skin for a few reasons. To help prevent post inflammatory pigmentation - Dark spots can be left behind after a breakout due to the inflammatory response of the skin which produces melanin. Exposure to UV rays will further increase melanin production which will make the pigmentation worse. Therefore you must protect your skin with SPF to keep melanin production down. To prevent inflammation - Breakout prone skin has a lot of inflammation already. UV exposure causes heat and inflammation in the skin so it will become more sensitive, hot and inflamed. To prevent further sensitivity - The sun exasperates sensitivity that is already in the skin. The sun will dehydrate the skin making the skin think it needs to produce more oil, making it more oily. “But SPF causes my skin to breakout more.” This can be true of some SPF’s especially those formulated for the body so don’t use a standard sun lotion on your face. Many sun lotions are very greasy and heavy on the skin. Opt for a physical sunscreen because your skin is sensitive and inflamed. Chemical sunscreens concert UV rays into heat in the skin which isn’t ideal when your skin is already hot. So for breakout prone skins, choose a physical sunscreen which instead bounces the rays off the surface of the skin, not creating heat within the skin.
Myth 4: “I never burn, so I don’t need sunscreen.”
Sunscreen is not just to protect against burning. 🌞 Only 5% of UV rays are UVB - UVB are the rays that cause burning 🌞 95% of UV rays are UVA - UVA causes ageing, skin damage and can cause skin cancer. So even if you don’t think you need to protect yourself from burning, you do need to protect yourself from UVA.
Myth 5: I can't wear SPF, my skin is too sensitive
Do you find your skin has a reaction to some sunscreens? Itchy, blotchy, red? The answer could lie in what type of sunscreen you are using. There are two types - Physical sunscreen and chemical sunscreen. For most people, either is fine but for anyone with sensitive skin physical sunscreens are better. ✨ Chemical sunscreens take the UV rays from the sun, absorb them into the skin and turn them into heat. Factor 50 usually only comes in chemical sunscreens as the physical sunscreens tend to only go up to factor 30. Chemical sunscreens are lightweight and blendable. This heat can cause a reaction in those with sensitive skins because they are usually already inflamed and hot. Sensitive skins have an impaired barrier which is aggravated by this heat produced. So anyone with sensitive skin should opt for a physical sunscreen. ✨ Physical sunscreens take the UV rays and reflect and bounce them off the skin. This does not create heat, making them better for sensitive skins. Typically physical sunscreens can be quite chalky and leave a white layer on the skin. ✨ Opt for something like Dermalogica’s Invisible Physical Defense SPF30 which has been developed for sensitive skins and has been formulated to be sheer on the skin and not leave chalky residue. So for most skins a chemical sunscreen is great but if you have sensitive skin and find you react to some sunscreens, opt for a physical one.
Myth 6: Sunbeds will prepare my skin for my holiday tan.
Get a spray tan instead to get your pre-holiday glow! Sunbeds are classified as a group 1 carcinogen - They cause skin cancer Even one sunbed session can more than double your risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer - even more importantly is the increased risk of melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. Sunbed use and overexposure to the sun increases the risk of skin cancer at any age, however a review by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) found that first exposure to sunbeds before the age of 35 years increases the risk of melanoma by an alarming 75 per cent. A common misconception is that a sunbed tan will prepare or protect your skin before you go abroad. The fact is, that sunbeds are no safer than exposure to the sun itself and the intensity of UV rays from some sunbeds can be 10-15 times higher than the Mediterranean midday, summer sun. So there we go, there are some facts about sun protection. Most importantly, wear sun screen even when its cloudy, 365 days a year! Want help choosing a sun protection that it right for your skin? Head over to our website and use our web chat to speak to our skin experts about your skin.
Vita Skin Spa Online Web Shop. Dermalogica, Regima, Scentered, OPI and many more of our brands can be purchased here on our online shop.