Sun Protection Factor, AMEN - Skin Care 101

Our skin protects our body, but what protects our skin? We have our barrier, which does a pretty great job, but as science has progressed we’ve learned that most skin cancer comes from UV damage. Not to mention, it’s the number one cause for premature aging. I should be able to end this post right here, those two reasons alone being enough to convert non SPF users, but sadly it doesn’t seem to be.

Being a stubborn non-believer in other facets of my life, I can recognize where these people are coming from. One tactic that helps me introduce a self care step that feels more like torture than anything, is by diving deep into the subject. Overwhelming myself with so many facts that I can’t possibly go another day without incorporating said course of action.

Let’s begin with why we wear SPF:

Ultraviolet Rays, or UV rays, are essentially invisible rays of energy that emanate from the sun with enough strength to reach us on earth. The two types of UV rays that we know to directly effect our largest organ (our skin) are UVA and UVB.

Some myths, that even I learned in school, is that UVA primarily effects aging and UVB causes immediate damage, like sunburn. We were taught UVA=Aging, UVB=Burning. Okay, seems easy enough but what we now understand is that both UVA and UVB contribute to aging and damage. An interesting discovery is that though UVA accounts for most of the exposure we get, like 17x more, it is UVB that causes most of the damage to the skin.

So, what exactly is happening to our skin when UV rays from the giant flaming ball in the sky reaches our skin? What is “damage” and what is “aging”?

Unfortunately, when we say damage, we mean DNA damage. After so long with repeated harm, your skins ability to heal itself then becomes obsolete due to the damaged DNA being “unreadable”.

The other damage happens to our collagen and elastin breaking down, these two proteins keep our skin strong and healthy and this leads to aging and inflammation.

Now, what can we do to help slow down this damage? We can wear an SPF that is broad spectrum every day, and reapply when out in the sun. Some sun is great and with SPF blocking 97%-98% of UV rays, you’ll still be synthesizing Vitamin D even when you’re protected.

Contrary to popular belief, physical (mineral) and chemical sunscreens work the same. They absorb the UV rays and neutralize them by converting them into heat. In actuality, chemical SPF’s start working immediately and the wait time (around 10 minutes) is just so the product can set and not be smeared off.

Everyone has their preference on which type of SPF they use, and that’s okay! The best SPF for you depends on if its broad spectrum and whether you’re willing to apply it every single morning.

Have I converted you yet? No? That’s okay, I’m not really into proselytizing. Plus, it’s your skin- not mine.

Though, I do want to stress that if you’re on your skin care journey, SPF is far and wide the number one product to add in. Using retinoids and exfoliants- though helpful in the long run, can sensitize your skin in the short term and it’s so important in getting the best results to protect your skin.

There is one SPF I swear by and have recommended to clients- all with feedback that they love it. Naturiums Dew-Glow SPF 50. I believe they have tinted ones too but I just use non-tinted. It’s hydrating and makes a great base under make-up or on it’s own for dewy look.

I hope I’ve opened up a better understanding as to the importance of SPF in skin care for you. Always feel free to reach out with any questions via Contact in the Menu Bar, instagram or leave a comment below.

Thank you for reading and visiting my page, glad to have you here :)

-Rachel

References:

LabMuffinBeauty on Youtube & Instagram

Young AR et al. Ultraviolet radiation and the skin: photobiology and sunscreen photoprotection. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2017;76(3S1):S100-9