As soon as the weather gets warmer, you know it’s time to cover yourself from head to toe with sunscreen.
Dermatology found that- 80% of people knew they should spread the SPF every two hours but only 33% of people knew that.
Moreover, 42% avoided reapplying sunscreen or reapplied it only when their skin got wet.
Here are some common sunscreen myths explained by the experts along with the real deal.
Myth: The higher the SPF, the longer you can go before reapplying.
It doesn’t matter if you use SPF 30 or SPF 100, unless you reapply it after every two hours, at least.
This is because SPF means how much of the sun rays the sunscreen can filter and not how long it lasts.
Therefore, reapply it after every two hours. And if you miss it, SPF 30 might be giving you only SPF 10 protection.
However, for full-body coverage, you need enough to fill a shot glass.
You can go for an SPF 50 or even higher if are not into slathering.
Myth: Car windows block sun rays
You should know that car windshields only block UVB and UVA rays. But side and rear windows usually block only UVB rays, not UVA which goes deeper into the skin.
Because of this people who drive are more likely to have skin cancer on the left side of their body. This is the side that is exposed to the sun.
Hence, wear sunscreen or protective clothing like a long-sleeved shirt.
Also, wear sunglasses with UVA and UVB protecting coatings cut down on glare.
This will protect your eyes from cataracts.
Myth: Sunscreen decreases vitamin D levels
According to experts the small amount of UVB rays that gets through sunscreen is enough to create vitamin D in your body.
Vitamin D is crucial for bone health and plays a role in everything from immune function to muscle function.
But you can also consume food that can increase your vitamin D levels. It includes salmon, soy milk, orange juice, eggs, oat milk, etc.
Myth: Sunscreen is more important for kids than adults
It’s a fact that sunburn in childhood is a big risk for adult skin cancer.
If people get just 25% of their lifetime UV exposure by age 20, there’s plenty of time to avoid more damage.
Hence, every adult should use sunscreen when they’re in the sun. But it’s specifically imperative if you used little or no sunscreen when you were a kid.
Choose a sunscreen that blocks both UVB rays as well as UVA rays.
