What is a sunscreen?

Sunscreen is a product that protects the skin from the damaging effect of Ultraviolet radiation. Sunscreens work by absorbing, reflecting, or scattering the UV radiation.

What is broad spectrum sunscreen?

A broad spectrum/ full spectrum sunscreen protects against UV-A as well as UV-B rays. A routine sunscreen protects well against UV-B but not against UV-A.

What is water-resistant sunscreen?

A water resistant sunscreen maintains the SPF even after 40 minutes of water immersion.

What is SPF?

SPF or sun protection factor is a measure of protection against the UV-B rays. The higher the SPF, better is the protection against UV-B rays. however, this does not mean a longer duration of protection. A 15 SPF product would filter out about 92% of UV-B radiation and 30 & 40 SPF product would filter about 96% & 97% respectively.

Practical tips while using a sunscreen--

1. Sunscreen should be applied at least half a hour before going outdoors.
2. Use sufficient quantity of sunscreen. About 5-6 teaspoons quantity is sufficient to cover the entire body.
3. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours once outdoors.
4. Apply the sunscreen on a small area of the body to check for sensitivity/ allergy before first use.
5. Do not store the sunscreen in places where the temperatures get high as high temperature may change the chemical composition of the sunscreen.
6. Use a sunscreen with a SPF of 30 (minimum)

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Created on: April 2007

Last updated on: April 2011