SPF - What it Means to You

SPF – What it Means to You

by Sandra Oertell
Guest Poster

As soon as summer approaches, you are bombarded with ads about SPF. What it means to you is important, so ask yourself if you really understand what it is, what it does, and if it is necessary for maintaining the health of your skin.

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, and is always followed by a number that was determined by exposing people to the equivalent of the sun at high noon. The control group in these trials wore no skin protection, and the others wore sunscreen. They then divided the amount of light that induced redness in sunscreen users, by the amount of light that induced redness in those that wore no protection. The numbers, which range anywhere from 1 to 50 actually tell you how much UVB (ultraviolet B rays) protection you are going to get from this product.

However, there are other factors that should be considered aside from the amount of time you spend in the sun. Other factors that should be included are what time of the day you were exposed to the rays, your location (you will burn faster if you are at a high altitude or close to the equator), and what the weather conditions are. Don’t fool yourself into believing that if you do not feel hot and sweaty, you aren’t going to burn!

SPF-What does it mean to you ? Look at this:

SPF 15- Filters ninety-two per cent of the UVB, which allows you to stay out in the sun fifteen times longer than you could without it. You can be out in the sun for thirty minutes before you start to burn.
SPF 30 and SPF 45 products will block ninety-six per cent of the sun’s UV rays.
SPF 50- Very little of the sun’s UVA and UVB light is transmitted to your skin.

SPF is also used to measure clothing for its ability to protect you from the sun. A few examples are:

Panty hose- SPF 2
Hats- SPF 3 to 6 (depending on fabric, weave, and amount of shade provided)
Outdoor sun protective clothing- Anywhere from SPF 15 to 30
Normal summer clothing- SPF 6.5

Probably, a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 would be more than adequate for most people…IF…they applied it properly. Even using a sunblock with a higher SPF will not assure that you won’t get burned…if you didn’t put it on right, or as often as it was needed. And a common mistake made by many sunscreen users is that, if they slather on the lotion, they can overexpose themselves to the sun. This simply is not true.

You need to buy a broad spectrum sunblock that is waterproof. Apply it often, and carefully, for reasonable and responsible protection from sunburn, aging skin, and skin cancer. SPF- What it means to you is sun protection for yourself and for your family.