|
Sunscreen 101
|
Something you should know... if you plan on wearing that mini!
It's all very well to believe, 'if you've got it, flaunt it'. But exposing in summer (when else can you!) can mean sunburn. So read on...
It's summer time! Summer is synonymous with fun and frolic, poolside parties, guzzling cool drinks and gorging on ice-cream - activities that promise you a whale of a time. And as far as clothes are concerned, less is more during summer!
But hold on. Before you trade your heavier and longer attire for that tank top and short skirt, please do remember that the sun is strongest during these months. And the sun, as you may know, is unforgiving when it comes to causing sunburn.
So - what should you do? Like most conscious Indians, you'll probably end up buying branded sunscreen (or sun block) lotion.
How much is too much?
So far, so good - sunscreen lotions are useful when it comes to absorbing (or reflecting) harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the sun's rays. Either way, sunscreen lotions protect your skin from damage caused by a strong summer sun.
But unlike those who knowing no better, slap on sunscreen indiscriminately, learn to apply the lotion intelligently. A broad rule of thumb suggests that you need 2mg of lotion per every square centimetre of your exposed body surface. This translates to about 1/4 to 1/3 of a teaspoon for the average adult face. Of course, if your neck, back, arms, legs are also exposed you'll require more for each body part.
Keep sunscreen lotion handy
What's more, applying sunscreen in a jiffy, as a last minute afterthought just before you leave home isn't a good idea. Your skin takes 15-30 minutes to absorb the lotion, after which it becomes active. Further, dermatologists advise that sunscreen should be reapplied every 2 hours if you're consistently in the sun for that long and sweating, or if there is a chance of it being washed off, say if you're swimming. So keep that bottle handy!
Which lotion should you buy?
A sunscreen's Sun Protection Factor or SPF is a measure of its effectiveness. Technically speaking, the SPF is a ratio of the time you can be exposed to sunlight after applying sunscreen (before getting sunburn) to the time you can be exposed without sunscreen. So if your skin is likely to burn after 15 minutes in the sun, and you use a sunscreen with SPF 10, you will be protected for 15 x 10 or 150 minutes.
Again, as a rule of thumb, the higher the SPF, the more protection a sunscreen offers against both UVA and UVB rays.
Apparently, an ideal sunscreen should have an SPF of 30 or higher and also be non-toxic, water-resistant and not too hard on your pocket!
The natural way
Of course, there are those who believe that as chemical products, sunscreens aren't such a good idea. These naturalists claim that applying sunscreen minimizes the body's natural production of vitamin D, which is only synthesized through sunlight exposure. Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that protects our body against diseases like high blood pressure and its accompanying illnesses, cancer, and also helps build strong bones and muscles.
Naturalists therefore suggest other means to protect against sunburn:
- Try to avoid going out in the sun when it is strongest, say between 10 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon.
- If you must venture out during these hours, wear protective clothing. You may think those pastel shades in cotton look 'Oh! So cool' but thicker dark-coloured clothes (think denim) let in less sunlight.
- Opt for long-sleeved shirts (or don long gloves while commuting) and long skirts or trousers.
- Look for shade when you're outdoors.
- Wear sunglasses with protective frames as your eyes need to be protected from UV-rays too.
Whether you choose to wear sunscreen or not is remember - harsh sun-rays definitely cause the skin to age faster. And there is no refuting that fact!
|
|
|
Charu Bahri
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
| | Wockhardt Cardiac Health Check | Executive Health Check | Wockhardt Well Women Health check | Rs.7,210 ($184.87) | | Rs.5,500 ($141.03) | | Rs.2,708 ($69.44) | Rs.3,800 ($97.44) | Rs.3,949 ($101.26) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask our Experts :
Infertility, Tarot, Personality Development, Immigration (US), All About Food, Shaping Up, Expert Advice, Your Interiors, Life, etc, Lifestyle, Unique Ideas. |
|
 |
Our Content Partner
|
|
Furl it
Reddit
