What You Need to Know About Sunscreen Before Going Back Outside

As the weather slowly begins to warm up, our skin care experts in Keizer at Valley View Dermatology want all of our patients to safely enjoy their time out in the sun. Of course, safely enjoying time outdoors requires the regular application of sunscreen to help protect your skin from harmful UV rays.

Excessive sun exposure can cause to your skin to look and feel older and more weathered. The daily application of sunscreen can help to lessen the effects of sun exposure so that your skin stays looking and feeling its best.

Of course, not all types of sunscreen provide the same level of protection. Knowing how to pick the right sunscreen for your skin can make all the difference. Let’s take a look at a few sunscreen facts so that you have the information needed to make an informed decision the next time you step outdoors for a little fun and fresh air.

Do all sunscreens provide the same level of Protection?

While all brands of sunscreen will help to prevent sunburn, only some brands may offer the necessary protection to reduce the risk for skin cancer, wrinkles, and aging. Only sunscreens labeled as “broad-spectrum” and with a SPF of 15 or higher have the capacity to help protect your skin from aging. Broad-spectrum sunscreens offer dual protection against both ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays.

Our skin care experts in Keizer recommend that you always wear a sunscreen of at least SPF 15 whenever leaving the house. When heading to the pool, park, or beach, you need to wear an SPF of at least 30 or higher, especially if spending the majority of the day outdoors.

What’s the right amount of sunscreen to apply to my skin?

Correctly applying sunscreen requires more than just slapping some on to your arms, legs, and face. You need to use the right amount if you hope to provide your skin with the projection it requires.

Spreading a small amount of sunscreen onto the hand and then applying to the body is the most common way people apply sunscreen, but that often leaves them using far less than required. You need to use about an ounce, roughly the equivalent of a shot glass, to make sure you have the right amount of coverage.

Of course, depending on your size and how much skin is exposed, you may need to use more sunscreen, but this offers a least a solid starting point.

As a general rule, you should always apply sunscreen at least 15 minutes before leaving the home, and continue to reapply once every two hours you spend outdoors.

What’s the right order to apply my skin care products?

On a more practical side, knowing the order to apply your skin care products can help to ensure they function correctly. So, if you’re planning on applying a moisturizer, sun screen, and makeup, you need to know the best order to use these products so that you get the look and protection you desire.

Generally, you should always moisturize first to make sure your skin feels properly hydrated. Next, apply your sunscreen. Finally, apply any make you require. As a bonus, if you need to use bug spread to keep any pesky critters away, apply that last.

Does sunscreen really provide any actual protection against harmful sunlight?

Go down the wrong channel on the web and you’re certain to find articles and videos that claim sunscreen offers no real protection against the sun’s rays. However, there’s not much science behind these reports, and most skin care experts agree that sunscreen provides a vital barrier your skin needs.

In fact, one recent study that followed over 1,600 adults for a decade found that those who regularly wore sunscreen reduced their risk for skin cancer by 50 percent.

Should I wear sunscreen on a cloudy day?

This is a question our skin care specialists in Keizer hear a lot from our Oregon patients, where the sun has the tendency to hide behind cloud cover. Yet, the gray skies of spring and winter offer no protection against sunlight. Around 80 percent of the sun’s rays still penetrate clouds and fog, so just because you don’t see the sun doesn’t mean you can skimp on the sunscreen.