By Jane Ward

Sun creams protect you from the sun in two ways; some work by scattering the sun’s UV light and others absorb the harmful rays before they can reach your skin.

With so many different types of creams Choosing the right one for your needs can be tricky, however, understanding the terminology on the bottles and knowing what you need from a sun cream will help you to choose the one that’s right for you.

UVA Vs. UVB

It’s estimated that 90% of skin changes that occur over our lifetime are caused by exposure to UVA rays. UVA rays penetrate the skin but don’t cause sunburn, instead they are responsible for signs of ageing such as wrinkles.

UVB rays are the rays that are responsible for causing sunburn. Both UVA and UVB rays can cause skin cancer. Bottle labels will indicate whether the cream is designed to protect against UVA or UVB rays. Many creams protect against both UVA and UVB rays to give broad spectrum protection.

SPF

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, the higher the number the more protection you have against UVB rays. The number is an indicator of how long you can stay out of the sun without burning for example if you normally burn in 10 minutes using factor 15 multiplies that by 15 meaning you could stay in the sun for 150 minutes before burning.

While sun cream is available from levels 2-60 An SPF of 15 or higher is the recommended minimum level of protection.

Waterproof or Water Resistant

If you’re going to be exercising or going in the water wearing sun cream you will need a cream that is waterproof or water resistant.

Water resistant sun cream is defined as cream that stays effective after 40 minutes in the water. Water proof or very water resistant creams will be effective for longer. You will need to top up your cream regularly to stay protected against the sun.

Applying Sun Cream

Apply sun cream about 15-30 minutes before going out in the sun. You should use at least 1 tablespoon for your entire body, women can also apply it under make up.

Be thorough. Studies have shown that many people don’t use enough sun cream and only get about 10-25% of the benefit.

If you don’t like the texture of your sun cream it could prevent you from applying it effectively and thoroughly. Spray creams tent to be lighter than oily creams and are easy to apply.

Don’t neglect easy-to-miss spots. The tips of your ears, your feet, the back of your legs, along your hairline and bald spots are the most commonly missed places. Your lips can get sunburnt too so don’t forget to use a lip balm with SPF.

Regardless of the number on the bottle cream should be reapplied at least every 2 hours. Perspiration can make it less effective so if you perspire more in the sun you will need to apply it more often.

Note if there is an expiration date on the bottle. Sun cream loses effectiveness over time.

Wear sun cream during the day whether it’s sunny or not. Even on overcast days around 80% of the harmful UV rays can make it though the clouds .