‘The doctor enters the house where the sun does not shine.’ The sun’s rays, which are important enough to be the subject of a proverb, have countless benefits. However, as much as the benefits, the ultraviolet rays it exposes also have a lot of harm. In order to protect against the negative effects of ultraviolet rays, the factor value, which is the abbreviation of SPF, which expresses the protection power of sunscreens that we frequently use in summer months, is extremely important.
The factor values of sunscreens are generally 15, 30, 50, 75 and 100. Many users think that taking the highest one provides the most protection, but the SPF values are actually not so clear-cut. These values, which basically indicate the duration of exposure to the sun, offer different protection effects depending on when you are exposed to ultraviolet rays. Let’s take a closer look at what SPF is and see what the factors values mean.
Sun protection factor What is SPF?
Sun Protection Factor, in Turkish, sun protection factor, in short SPF; It is a value that shows the extent to which the sunscreen you use protects your skin from ultraviolet rays. The SPF value determines the time the wearer will stay under the sun without being damaged. In order to feel the full effect of the sun protection factor, it is necessary to use the recommended amount of sunscreen.
What do expressions like ’30 SPF, 50 SPF, 100 SPF’ mean?
Sunscreen factors commonly used in our country and around the world have SPF values of 15 and 30. This is how the sunscreen values recommended by dermatologists are already. However, you can see sunscreens with an SPF of 50, 75 or even 100 on the market. So, what do all these factor values mean?
The SPF value actually provides a technically simple multiplier. If your skin starts to burn and get damaged within 10 minutes under normal conditions when you go out into the sun without applying sunscreen, when you apply a sunscreen with an SPF of 15, this time increases to 15 times, or 150 minutes.
Let’s face it, it is not possible to apply this multiplier directly to all SPF values. In other words, you cannot wear 100 SPF sunscreen and enjoy yourself under the sun for a thousand minutes. It is possible to list the protection effects of SPF values as follows;
- 15 SPF blocks 93% of ultraviolet rays.
- 30 SPF blocks 97% of ultraviolet rays.
- 50 SPF blocks 98% of ultraviolet rays.
- 100 SPF blocks 99% of ultraviolet rays.
In other words, contrary to general acceptance, sun protection factor is not just a matter of duration. Where, when and for how long you are exposed to sunlight will change the protection effect of the SPF value. If you’re thinking of applying 100 SPF sunscreen and enjoying yourself, it means you’re going to be hurting a lot in the evening.
How does sunscreen protect our skin?
The ultraviolet rays that come with sunlight first affect the outermost layer of our skin, called the epidermis. As the duration of exposure to the sun and the intensity of the rays increase, this effect can extend to the dermis, which is a lower layer. These rays damage the skin and can cause problems that can cause skin cancer in the future. So a cool tan is actually our damaged skin.
When sunscreens are used in the recommended amount, they form a layer on our skin, preventing the damage caused by ultraviolet rays. We can think of it like sunglasses. When we wear sunglasses, our vision is not blocked or the light is not completely lost, but the discomfort is greatly reduced. The working principle of sunscreen is exactly like this.
When used as recommended, the SPF value of the sunscreen provides its maximum protection effect. However, many people take sunscreen a bit lightly and apply a quarter or at most half the required amount. In this case, the protection power of the SPF value provides a much lower effect than normal.
Which SPF sunscreen should we use?
Sunscreens recommended by dermatologists have SPF values of 15 and 30. Blocking 93% and 97% ultraviolet rays, these SPF values will, in many cases, provide adequate protection for most people. However, not every person’s skin is the same, and the burning value of sunlight received by every geography is not the same. The period of time you are exposed to ultraviolet rays is also extremely important.
Exposure to sunlight for 1 hour in the morning and when the sun is about to set has the same harmful effect as being exposed to sunlight for 15 minutes at noon. This is where the SPF values become meaningless. Because the protection power of the SPF value, which says that you can stay under the sun 15 times longer, is not the same for every hour.
A similar situation applies to skin types and area. We all know the difference in the burning effect between the Black Sea sun and the Mediterranean sun. Likewise, people with darker skin color and people with lighter skin color have different reactions when they are under the sun. So what shall we do?
First of all, go to a dermatologist to learn about your skin structure and get advice. Take the sunscreen with the most suitable SPF value according to which hours you will be under the sun, in which region you are and your skin color. In our country, even the whitest skin can be protected with a factor of 30 sunscreen. However, it is always best to seek advice from an expert.
Factors that change the effect of SPF protection:
- Hours of exposure to sunlight.
- Area of exposure to sunlight.
- Skin color and skin structure of the person who applies sunscreen.
- Amount of sunscreen applied.
- Frequency of reapplying sunscreen.
- Activities to do after applying sunscreen.
We talked about the importance of hours exposed to sunlight, region and skin type. Another important issue is the frequency of reapplying sunscreen and what to do after applying sunscreen. People who are under intense sun and have sensitive skin can maximize the protection effect of the SPF value by applying the right amount of sunscreen over and over again at regular intervals.
What you do after applying sunscreen is also extremely important. I applied the sunscreen and jumped into the water. If you say that you put on the sunscreen and ran, the cream is gone again due to reasons such as sweating and friction. After applying the sunscreen, you will either sit quietly or reapply it frequently to renew the protection effect. Otherwise, it burned, my beautiful cit.
We answered the question What is the factor value SPF, which shows the protection power of sunscreen, which protects us from the harmful effects of sunlight, and we talked about the factor values and the details you need to know about the use of sunscreen. Since every skin type is unique, you should definitely consult a specialist when you have any problems.
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