Sunscreens are an important element in any skincare routine, we all know how crucial it is to protect our skin from the damaging sun rays. But still, there are so many myths surrounding it from “it causes cancer” to “dark-skinned people don’t need it”.

Since its summer time and this is the worst time for your skin a sunscreen could really rescue you from a lot of problems. But first, we need to clear our head and get rid of all the myths floating around.

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1. It’s Cloudy Outside, I Don’t Need a Sunscreen

If you are stepping out of the house you need to use sunscreen even if it’s cloudy. That’s because even though you don’t see the sun, the harmful rays are still reaching you. The clouds filter out only 25% of the UV rays the rest 75% rays are still reaching and penetrating your skin.

2. Sunscreen Causes Cancer

It is true that whatever we apply to our skin gets absorbed in the body and if the ingredients of your sunscreens are harsh they could be dangerous to your health. But that does not mean that all sunscreens cause cancer.

It is important that you understand what ingredients your sunscreen contains and what impact can they have on your health. Several chemical sunscreens have been under scrutiny but there are plenty of physical and mineral sunscreens that do not contain any damaging chemicals. Physical sunscreens are not even absorbed in the skin they just form a layer to act as a shield for your skin.

Choose a physical broad-spectrum sunscreen containing titanium oxide or zinc oxide. These are safe for your skin and are effective too.

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3. Sunscreens Are Heavy and Oily

Well, that’s not even a bit true now. There are a variety of sunscreens available to suit your skin type. If you have dry skin you can opt for a thick creamy sunscreens. But if you have oily skin and avoid sunscreens because they will make your face further greasy, buy a gel based sunscreen. Yes, these things do exist!! There are a number of sunscreens suitable for oily skin you just need to find the one for you.

4. I Need Vitamin D

Sunscreens block the UV rays which you need to produce Vitamin D. However, that does not mean you need to lie in the sun for hours or roam around in the heat without any skin protection.

Many scientists and dermatologists say that just 5 to 30 minutes of exposure to the sun is enough to get your daily dose of Vitamin D.

You could easily get that even without trying. Sunscreens wear out over time and people most likely forget to reapply sunscreen every few hours which accidentally exposes them to UV rays. Even if that doesn't happen you can expose yourself to the sun in the morning for 5-10 minutes when the rays are not too harsh.

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5. I Have a Dark Skin, I Don’t Need Sunscreen

This is a huge misconception sunscreens are not just meant to protect you from tanning. The UV rays not just cause tanning but also make your skin age must faster and are even known to cause skin cancers such as melanoma. So, even if you have a dark complexion you do need to use sunscreens.

Some people also believe that since dark complexion means more melanin in the skin and melanin can diffuse UVB rays, sunscreens are not necessary. While people with darker skin are more protected from the sun, they should still use a broad spectrum sunscreen. UVA damage is not blocked by melanin in the same way and can lead to premature skin ageing and wrinkles.

One study noted that skin cancer survival rates were lowest in people with darker skin, including African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders.

6. The Higher The SPF The Better Protection It Offers

Technically a higher SPF does offer better protection against UVB rays but that does not mean you should buy SPF 100 over a SPF 50 sunscreen.

Normally if the sun is not very strong and you are not going to stay out for long SPF 15 is good to go. SPF 15 provides 93% protection against UVB rays and is ideal for quick exposures only, it won’t be much effective if you plan on an extended outdoor stay.

For prolonged outdoor exposure to sun choose an SPF 30 or higher sunscreen. Now you may even choose an SPF 50 sunscreen but the difference between the protection level that SPF 50 will provide is just slightly more than that provided by SPF 30, the price difference, on the other hand, will be much more.

SPF 30 provides 97% protection, SPF 50 provides 98% protection, and SPF 100 provides 99% protection. No sunscreen will ever give you 100% protection.

7. I Applied Sunscreen Once, I am Good To Go

No, you are not. Even the best sunscreen require reapplication. The sunscreens (physical) are formulated to protect you from UV rays by forming a layer on your skin and this layer lasts for only 2-3 hours. If you start sweating or take a dip in the pool the sunscreen will wash out and will have to apply it again. Even if you are staying indoors the formula is still effective for only a few hours and reapplication is necessary. So, always carry your sunscreen with you.

There are a number of water-resistant formulas available but even they cannot protect you for more than 3 hours. If you don’t apply sunscreens after every 2 hours you will receive much less SPF than actually advertised on the label.

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8. Base Tan Protects You From The Sun

Getting a base tan has nothing to do with sun protection. Some people use tanning beds to get a base tan before summer.

Tanning beds use high concentrations of UVA light to darken the skin. However, sunburns are actually caused by UVB rays so there is no point in getting a base tan.

9. Most Sun Damage Happens In Childhood

It is believed that around 80% skin damage due to sun happens till the age of 18 and since you are past that age you need not worry about it now. However, studies have shown that only 25% of damage happens at a young age so you are still prone to the rest 75% skin damage.

While it’s true that melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is more closely linked to childhood sunburns, cumulative sun exposure that’s associated with other skin cancers, wrinkles, thinning skin, dark spots, and ‘broken’ capillary veins on the skin can still occur in adulthood.

10. You Can’t Get Sunburned In Water

UVB rays are capable of penetrating water, especially shallow water additionally the rays reflected from the water can cause increased UV exposure to body parts that are not immersed in water. This can result in sunburns. Similarly, even car windows aren't effective they just block UVB rays, you still need to apply sunscreen to protect your skin from UVA rays.

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11. Waterproof Sunscreens Work

No matter what the marketing tactics brands use to promote their water-proof sunscreen, the fact is that no sunscreen lasts for long once you start sweating or go for a swim. The best way is to reapply any sunscreen after that for protection. Some sunscreens even mention water-resistant and not water-proof but it doesn’t actually matter because there are no sunscreens which will stay intact even after swimming or sweating.

12. Makeup Can Protect Your Face

Some people think that makeup is enough to protect their skin from the sun. It’s true that makeup provides an extra layer of protection to your skin but it’s certainly not enough. Makeup is not as effective as sunscreen, even though there are products coming out now that have inbuilt SPF they are just additional protection. Makeup can never be the only protection you need from the sun but it can be an extra layer of protection.

13. SPF Is The Only Important Factor

Most people just look at the SPF number before buying any sunscreen but SPF is not the only factor that you need to look before choosing a sunscreen. SPF tells you about how much protection a particular sunscreen offers against UVB rays only. UVB rays cause skin cancer and sunburn but UVA rays are the cause of problems such as wrinkles and skin ageing. Needless to you need protection against both UVA and UVB rays.

So, look out for sunscreens that say ‘Broad Spectrum’ or ‘Large Spectrum’. A broad spectrum sunscreen protects against both the harmful UV rays.

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14. Application Doesn't Matter

Not just using a good sunscreen is important but using it in the right way is equally important. The way you apply it makes a huge difference. You must apply the sunscreen 30 minutes before you step out in the sun, especially if it's a chemical sunscreen (such as those containing avobenzone or oxybenzone). In case of a physical sunscreens (sunscreens containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) which act as a layer and are not absorbed in the skin, you can even apply them just before going out. Use about one ounce—enough to fill a shot glass—to your face and exposed parts of the body.

15. Sunscreens Don’t Expire

Contrary to popular belief sunscreens do expire. Every sunscreen comes with an expiry date and that date is for a reason. The chemical formulas can change over time or with exposure to heat and the active ingredients may breakdown. If you have an expired sunscreen lying around it’s time to throw that away because it might leave your skin unprotected even if used properly.

Bottomline

Understanding which sunscreen to buy and how to use them is very crucial, especially in summers when the skin damage increases many times.

But before you understand all the right things you need to get rid of all the myths you have been believing for so long because wrong information can be way more harmful than not knowing what is right.

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