The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends that all kids — regardless of their skin tone — wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
The SPF (Sun Protection Factor) scale is not linear:
So, while you may not be doubling your level of protection, an SPF 30 will block half the radiation that an SPF 15 would let through to your skin. It's complicated, but to keep it simple, most dermatologists recommend using a SPF 15 or SPF 30 sunscreen.
A sunscreen with SPF 30 will protect you from around 96.7% of UVB rays, whereas an SPF of 50 means protection from about 98% of UVB rays. Anything beyond SPF 50 makes very little difference in terms of risk of sun damage, and no sunscreens offer 100% protection from UVB rays.
Experts say sunscreens with an SPF higher than 50 aren't worth buying. They only offer marginally better protection. They might also encourage you to stay out in the sun longer. Instead, choose an SPF between 15 and 50, apply liberally, and reapply often.
Key takeaways: Ultraviolet light from the sun can increase your risk of skin cancer and skin aging. Many safe and effective sunscreens are available, and it's important to use them the right way. Using sunscreen every day — no matter where you live or what color your skin — can protect you from sun damage.
“SPF 15 blocks 94% UVB rays, whereas SPF 30 blocks 97% UVB and SPF 50 blocks 98% UVB. Therefore, it's a good idea to opt for SPF 50 even on a daily basis. But not more than that as SPF higher than it can only block an additional 2% of UVB radiation.” Even dermatologist Dr.
No matter your age or how much time you've spent in the sun over the years, it's never too late to start wearing sunscreen religiously. Here's why.
Here's another way to think about all this: As a general rule, SPF 15 protects you against 93 percent of UVB rays, SPF 30 blocks 97 percent, and SPF 50 blocks 98 percent of UVB rays. Higher than SPF 50 won't offer you any significant extra protection—if anything, it just gives people a false sense of security.
Regular daily use of SPF 15 sunscreen can reduce your risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) by about 40 percent, and lower your melanoma risk by 50 percent. Help prevent premature skin aging caused by the sun, including wrinkles, sagging and age spots.
SPF 15 will block roughly 93% of UV rays when applied thoroughly. That's a huge benefit, but a simple upgrade to SPF 30 will shield 97% of rays.
Should you use SPF 100? Experts unequivocally say no. "The benefit is that it affords us about 1 percent more coverage from the UVB burning rays than an SPF of 50," says Ciraldo. "But the risk is not worth it."
Yes. PA – Abbreviation for Protection Grade of UVA established by the Japanese. It basically informs users of the level of protection towards UVA rays. PA+ means the sunscreen provides some protection against UVA rays, PA++ indicates moderate protection while PA+++ shows very good protective abilities against UVA rays.
Sunburn protection that is only marginally better.
Properly applied SPF 50 sunscreen blocks 98 percent of UVB rays; SPF 100 blocks 99 percent. When used correctly, sunscreen with SPF values between 30 and 50 offers adequate sunburn protection, even for people most sensitive to sunburn.
The difference between a SPF 40 is you block out 97.5% of UVB radiation and SPF 50 blocks 98%. This is a very small difference for the cost of purchasing a SPF 50. More important than using a super high SPF is using enough sunscreen.
Dermatologists recommend using an SPF of at least 30, which Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, MD, a dermatologist practicing in New York, calls "the magic number". SPF 15 blocks about 93 percent of UVB rays, while SPF 30 blocks about 97 percent of UVB rays. The ADA recommends an SPF of 30 or higher.
Lotions and sun-guards containing SPF (Sun Protection Factor) 20 to 35 are suitable for Indian skin types. The rays of the sun affect fair complexion easily. Lotions having SPF 30 is the best for people having a fair or wheatish complexion.
For day-to-day use, pick a sunscreen with sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. If you spend time outdoors, choose a product with SPF 60 or greater. In reality, most people do not use as much sunscreen as they should, and this higher SPF helps compensate.
Put another way, if your unprotected skin would take ten minutes to show signs of burning, then properly applying SPF 30 sunscreen would slow the rate of burning to the point where it would take 30 times longer, or 300 minutes in total. SPF 15 would take 150 minutes, while SPF 50, 500 minutes.
“Properly applied SPF 15 blocks 93 percent of UVB rays; SPF 30 blocks 97 percent of UVB rays; SPF 50 blocks 98 percent of UVB rays; and SPF 100 blocks 99 percent of UVB rays.” And while the difference in level of protection between SPF 30 and SPF 100 is only 2 percent, Dr.