With the blistering days of summer almost upon us, it’s time to brush up on your knowledge of how sunscreen works and how to properly apply it to your skin for maximum benefit.

Sunscreen is crucial for protecting your skin against the many detrimental effects of sun exposure. In fact, dermatologists now recommend wearing sunscreen every day, not just in the summer. So, just how does sunscreen work to protect your skin and how should you be applying it? Let’s find out.

The Science Behind Sunscreen 

Sunscreen is essentially a combination of ingredients which keeps the sun’s UVA and UVB rays from coming into contact with and damaging the skin. Both types of UV rays are very high in energy, ranging in wavelength from 290 to 400 nanometres. If these rays are not blocked, then all of that energy has nowhere else to go but into the skin.

Sunburns are typically caused by UVB rays, which damage the surface of the skin and trigger an inflammatory response. UVA rays penetrate deeper below the surface of the skin and are largely responsible for causing wrinkling and sagging. Both types of UV rays exacerbate the effects of the other, and both can contribute to the development of skin cancer by damaging your skin cells’ DNA.

Sunscreens work by reflecting, scattering, or absorbing the energy of UV rays so that the UV rays can’t make direct contact with your skin. They can be made up of a variety of organic (carbon-based) and inorganic (not carbon-based) compounds, with two of the most common being zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. 

Applying Sunscreen for Maximum Protection

As you can see, using sunscreen has many important benefits. To enjoy these benefits, however, you have to use sunscreen correctly. Unfortunately, most people don’t apply enough of it. Sunscreen needs to be laid on thick. To properly cover your face and other exposed areas of your body, you should be using roughly enough sunscreen to fill a shot glass (about two tablespoons). 

Sunscreen needs time to absorb into the skin, and so should be applied about 20 minutes before you go out into the sun, not when you’re already in it. You’ll also have to reapply your sunscreen if you remain in the sun for several hours. A good rule of thumb is to reapply between every two and four hours; reapply more frequently if you are swimming or perspiring a lot. 

You can and should wear sunscreen even if you will be wearing makeup. Apply the sunscreen first, and give your skin some time to soak it in before applying your makeup over top. The trick is to use a cream foundation rather than a powder one, which will also make it easier for you to reapply your sunscreen later on.

Don’t take chances with your skin’s health and beauty by going out into the sun unprotected. Sunscreen is a simple but effective solution for stopping potentially harmful UV radiation in its tracks.