Ask the Expert Archive Week 26
Sunscreen By now, most of us understand that when we're out in the sun, we need sunscreen. And the drugstore shelves have a vast selection. What should you look for?
Here's dermatologist Dr. Nowell Solish. Well there are certain things that you should know about sunscreen, how to apply them and how to wear them. One of the most important things is to apply your sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going outside. Sunscreen takes time to work and you don't want to sweat it off when you1re outside in the sun and sweating.
Another important aspect of picking a sunscreen is to look for the sun protection factor, or SPF. And you'll find that right on your suncreen. I like people to use a sunscreen of 30 or higher. A 30 suncreen will give you a lot of protection against ultraviolet light. A 15 although thought to give you a lot of protection S. guaranteed to have good protection.
The next thing to considerSwhat kind of sunscreen to pick for yourself. You can buy ones that are gels like I have in my hand that are good for people who are acne prone. There not very greasy or very oily. Another product that is becoming popular especially among children are the sprays. You can buy.. they are fast and easy to get on so if some children don't like to have the cream put on them, or don't like the time it takes to put on, you can take your spray and quite easily get large areas just by spraying it on and rubbing it in afterwards.
Some other important things to think about when protecting yourself from the sun is not only the sunscreen that you put on but also the clothing that you wear. It's very important to wear a hat, especially a wide brimmed hat, one that will cover and most people say six inches around, and this is an example of a child1s hat that has a wide brim around the outside which will help stop the sun from the back of the neck, the ears, and most of the face. The other important thing is that if you1re out and swimming, even if you1re wearing clothing, especially cotton clothing, you get very little protection from just a plain cotton shirt that some people will wear. And you can buy outfits like this that are keep a good job of keeping the sun out. It will cover the majority of the body of the child or adult and does a great job of protecting yourself from the sun.
One of the other things to consider in a sunscreen is whether you buy a waterproof sunscreen or not. Waterproof sunscreen will give you a good 4 à 8 hours of protection in and out of the water. You should still reapply if your swimming or sweating a lot, but you can still get a lot of protection, lasting protection from a waterproof sunscreen.
The last thing you should look for is broad spectrum, or ultraviolet A and B protection. Those give you the widest protection of all the ultraviolet lights that are coming down and damaging our skin. If you would like to send a question to Ask the Expert you can either email us at rx@tvo.org or fill out our form.
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