Have you ever considered “Should I apply sunscreen?” or “Am I doing it right?”, “Do I need more?”. I am here to answer all your questions.

I have been there myself, and I have fallen into the traps until I learn the right thing!

Let’s begin by clarifying what makes wearing sunscreen crucial, all year round, not just during hot summer days. Our skin protects us from harmful radiation. Sunscreen contributes to protecting our skin from UV rays and creating sunburns, freckles, or scars that sun damage may cause.

Using sunscreen is also recommended in winter because UVB rays’ intensity may defer from summer to winter, but UVA rays have the same intensity all the year. Those rays can cause premature aging or skin cancer. 

Let’s now get to the subject:

6 Mistakes You Make When Using Sunscreen:

1. Not Wearing Sunscreen on Cloudy Days:

   It’s cloudy; I don’t have to wear sunscreen, right? Snow is a good reflector of light, reflecting 80% of harmful UV light and ascending your exposure to UV radiation higher. Based on research, up to 80% of UV rays can get through clouds.

   
   

2. Choosing Sunscreen Based on Price or Friends’ Recommendations

   Sometimes choosing products based on price factors or others’ opinions may be fatal. You should choose a sunscreen based on your skin type, color, and age.

   
   

3. Using an Spf 50+ Sunscreen Thinking, You Are All Set.

   Sunscreens are divided based on the Sun Protection Factor (SPF). This indicator mainly concerns UVB radiation, which is also due to the slight redness after a few minutes of unprotected exposure to the sun. It is equally important to choose a sunscreen that can block both. For example, a UVB 20 sunscreen means that you can stay in the sun for 30 minutes without sunscreen until your skin starts to turn red; with the SPF 20 sunscreen, you can stay in the sun for 20 times longer. Ideally, choose a sunscreen with SPF of at least 30+ and higher than 50 (sunscreens with SPF of 50 block 98% of the radiation).

   
   

4. Using Sunscreen with Lower SPF to Tan More

   Don’t worry about your tan. You can get a nice tan even with high-protection sunscreens. In fact, in this way, you achieve your tan gradually and not abruptly, and thus it is maintained for much longer. Scientific studies have shown that sudden exposure to the sun (and even using sunscreen with a low protection index) increases the chance of developing skin cancer more than gradual exposure, so do not sit in the sun for hours without sunscreen or with low protection index because you do not win anything!

   
   

5. Leaving Your Sunscreen Exposed to the Sun and Heat

   Sunscreen retains its composition and effectiveness when stored at specific temperatures. Above them, its chemical composition is altered. Then, on the beach, prefer to leave it in the bag, preferably in the shade. 

   
   

6. Spreading Sunscreen in a Hurry

   Proper application of sunscreen requires a good and uniform application. The instructions for all preparations in the form of cream provide a uniform passage of the palm, 10-12 times from each area. Only then will you have effective protection.

   
   

What if it’s already late and you wonder what to apply to your burnt and aching body: Yogurt, toothpaste, or maybe butter?

The first thing to do is carefully remove the clothes and moisturize the affected area with running cool water for at least 3 minutes. Immediately after, you apply some after-sun cream (ideally, always have it in the fridge to make it even cooler) and not some medicine. In this way, you reduce the depth of the burn and protect the deeper layers of the skin from additional damage. Caution: if blisters or ulcers have formed, contact a doctor immediately to assess the severity and degree of the burn and provide all the necessary treatment instructions.

Now, you know what to do!

Follow the above guide, and you will have a beautiful summer, properly protected from the sun! Play, laugh, and have fun on the beach!

Happy Summer!