What sunscreen should I use?

If you are spending more than 20 minutes in the sun, lather up with zinc oxide containing sunscreen. It will block both types of UV light that are harmful and zinc oxide will not get absorbed into your body like the chemical (clear) sunscreens. Use a lot of that sunscreen -- it takes a full ounce to cover your body. And reapply it after swimming.

There are seventeen FDA-approved sunscreen ingredients. Most are chemicals that absorb UV radiation; they take about thirty minutes to take effect, and some can irritate sensitive skin. However, two -- zinc oxide and titanium dioxide -- are physical blockers that block UVA and UVB. They go to work instantly, and won’t irritate skin (this makes them ideal for kids). Any sunscreen with zinc or titanium will do, but at the right percentage. I look for a broad-spectrum sunscreen that contains at least 9 percent zinc or titanium. Micronized zinc oxide appears to be a better UVA filter than micronized titanium dioxide so, given a choice, opt for zinc.

For the best protection, you need a broad-spectrum sunscreen that works for both UVA and UVB rays. The problem is, a recent study found that 18 percent of US sunscreens fell short in providing UVA protection, even though they were labeled broad spectrum. For UVB coverage, just choose a product with SPF 30 or higher, which filters out 97 percent of UVB. Getting UVA coverage is trickier, because the FDA just recently set standards for informing consumers on UVA protection. Manufacturers won’t be forced to upgrade their labeling until around May 2009. By then, they will have to indicate on the label the strength of their products’ UVA protection level by using a four-star rating system. The SPF number on the label will relate to the UVB and the four-star rating will relate to the UVA. The new regulations also change the highest SPF values from 30+ to 50+. So go for a four-star formula (and at least 30+).

From The Mind-Beauty Connection: 9 Days to Less Stress, Gorgeous Skin, and a Whole New You by Amy Wechsler.

Take the RealAge Test!

When you read the label on a sunscreen bottle, there are four things to focus on so that you can make the right sunscreen choice for you and your family:

• SPF (“Sun Protection Factor”)
• UVA coverage
• Water resistance
• Ingredients

SPF and UVA coverage tell you how much protection the sunscreen provides from the sun’s harmful UV (ultraviolet) rays.  You want coverage for both UVB and UVA since UVB rays are predominantly responsible for sunburn and UVA rays contribute more to aging.  This is easy to remember:  UVB for Burning and UVA for Aging.  Specifically, SPF indicates UVB protection, and you want to use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to protect from sunburn.  For UVA coverage, the bottle should clearly say if there is UVA coverage or, additionally, you can check the active ingredients for UVA blockers like zinc oxide, avobenzone, titanium dioxide, ecamsule, octocrylene, dioxybenzone, meradimate, and sulisobenzone.  

As for water resistance, there are 2 FDA-approved phrases to address the ability of a sunscreen to protect your skin even in water: “water resistant” and “very water resistant.”  “Water resistant” means that the sunscreen retains its SPF after 40 minutes of activity in water.  “Very water resistant” means it retains its SPF after 80 minutes.  Unfortunately, commonly used phrases like “waterproof” are not clearly defined by the FDA, but likely you can assume at least 40 minutes of protection with sweating or swimming before reapplication is necessary.

Finally, if you have a child younger than 6 months or if you have sensitive skin, you should use sunscreens with the “physical blockers” listed as the only active ingredients on the sunscreen bottle.  There are only 2 physical blockers – titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.