10 keys to use the perfect sunscreen

10 TIPS TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT SUNSCREEN

Every year the time comes for us to choose the sunscreen that will stay with us throughout the holidays. But with so much variety we can’t always choose. Here are 10 tips to bear in mind when choosing the best for your skin

We know it’s essential to protect ourselves from the sun but do we know what we should be looking for in a sunscreen? We must of course choose one that we like, that is comfortable and easy to apply, but which also meets a key number of requirements for safely and suitably protecting our skin.

10 tips to make sure you make the right choice of sunscreen this summer:

1.- Phototype: The first thing to bear in mind is the colour of your eyes, hair and skin. There are 7 phototypes, I is the palest and VII is the darkest and includes black and some Asian races. It is advised to use a high-factor broad spectrum sunscreen daily in South Africa.

2.- Destination: The place where we are going to be exposed to the sun is an influencing factor. As we get closer to the Equator, the radiation is more intense. The same happens with altitude. Solar radiation increases by 10-15% each 1000 m. We also have to bear in mind not only direct sunlight but also its reflection on the water (30%), sand (10%), grass (5%) and even asphalt (2%). It all adds up.

3.- Wide spectrum protection: For your sunscreen to be effective it should cover all the rays that make up the solar spectrum and affect the different layers of the skin: UVB rays, UVA rays, long UVA rays and infrared rays. 

4.-Balanced protection: there must be an appropriate balance between the protection rating of UVB rays (spf) and UVA rays (ppd). When this is the case, the UVA symbol will appear within a circle on the packaging, so keep a look out for it!

5.-Photosensitivity: is fundamental that the sunscreen maintains the protection rating that appears on the packaging application after application.

6.-Remanence: we must also make sure it’s resistant to water, sweat, friction...

7.- Substantivity: for it to be effective it should be distributed evenly across the skin.

8.-Tolerance:  In order to adapt to your skin type perfectly, make sure it has been dermatologically tested on different ski types, populations, etc

9.-Cosmeticity: that is to say, texture. Choose the one that best suits your preferences and skin type. Nowadays there is a wide variety to choose from: gels, creams, oils, mists...

10.-Special advice: if you are in doubt, your dermatologist or pharmacist will be able to recommend the most suitable sunscreen for your skin.


Content Disclaimer:
You understand and acknowledge that all users of the Dis-Chem website or app are responsible for their own medical care, treatment, and oversight. All of the content provided on the website, are for INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The content is not intended to establish a standard of care to be followed by a user of the website. You understand and acknowledge that you should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health. You also understand and acknowledge that you should never disregard or delay seeking medical advice relating to treatment or standard of care because of information contained in or transmitted through the website. Medical information changes constantly. Therefore the information on this website or on the linked websites should not be considered current, complete or exhaustive, nor should you rely on such information to recommend a course of treatment for you or any other individual. Reliance on any information provided on this website or any linked websites is solely at your own risk.
Back to top