How does sunblock work to protect skin? & bull; hello healthy

If you are in the sun a lot on a daily basis, you may be familiar with sunblocks or sunscreens. Sunscreen is a care product that can protect your skin from sunburn. But, how does sunblock work in protecting the skin?

Each sunblock product offers a variety of different specifications. Some contain high SPF and some are low. Here is a complete guide to choosing and wearing sunblock properly.

How does sunblock work to protect skin?

Sunlight emits enormous energy. Included in this energy is ultraviolet (UV) radiation. There are two types of radiation, namely UVA and UVB. Both of these radiations can be absorbed by human skin. When absorbed by the skin, UVA and UVB are at risk of causing various skin problems, ranging from wrinkles on the face, sunburn, to cancer. This is because the radiation is capable of transforming and damaging cells in your body. So, being in the sun without protection for a long time will put your health at risk.

To protect the skin from the dangers of UVA and UVB radiation, sunblock or sunscreen will block the absorption of radiation into the skin's surface. The content that is quite dominant in sunblock is zinc oxide (zinc oxide) and titanium dioxide. Both of these active substances serve as a shield on the skin surface. Because of these two active substances, usually the sunblock texture feels thicker than common lotions. After covering your body with sunblock, you usually see a white layer on the surface of your skin. This layer will ward off harmful radiation.

What does SPF mean in sunblock?

You will find a description of the SPF level on each sunblock package. The SPF level indicates how long you can stay in the sun without getting burned. Everyone has a different level of tolerance to UVA and UVB radiation. People who have light skin tones will usually only stand exposed to the sun without any protection for 10-12 minutes. After that, the skin will burn and the harmful radiation from the sun will be absorbed by the skin. Meanwhile, people with darker skin can usually stay for about 50 minutes. The brighter and more sensitive your skin is, the lower your tolerance for sunburn will be.

If you have tan skin, you can be out in the sun without protection for about 20 minutes. If you use a sunscreen with SPF 15, that means you can last 15 times your tolerance level. So, you can also be protected from sun radiation for 20 minutes x 15, which is 300 minutes.

How to use sunblock properly

To get maximum protection from sunblock, you need to wear it appropriately. Find out below to see if your use of sunblock is correct so far.

Always use sunblock even if you don't plan to go outdoors.
Apply sunblock at least 15 minutes before going outside.
Even though the weather is cloudy and the sun is not hot, it does not mean that you are free from UVA and UVB radiation. So make sure you stick with sunblock when you're outside on a cloudy day. After all, the weather might change at any time and the sun could suddenly appear.
Use a sunblock with an SPF level of at least 30, especially if your skin is pale or you are sensitive to sunburn. The higher the SPF, the smaller your risk of being exposed to radiation.
Reapply the sunblock on the skin after a few hours. This is because the sunblock's protective effect wears off over time.
If your skin is sweaty or when you swim, the sunblock won't last long on your skin. Even if you choose a sunblock that is waterproof (waterproof), the average endurance is only around 40-60 minutes when exposed to water. Then you have to apply more sunblock to the skin.
Applying a thin layer of sunblock will not provide maximum protection. The more you use sunblock, the better the results. Evenly spread over the entire surface of your skin and massage lightly to get absorbed more quickly.
Pay attention to the expiration date on the sunblock packaging. Immediately replace your sunscreen when it has passed its expiration date because its properties have been lost.