What rules can be broken by applying sunscreen to the skin? According to doctors and cosmetologists, vacationers on the beaches make at least fifteen mistakes, making this simple action.
Everyone knows that you should use a sunscreen every day to prevent the risk of skin cancer and protect yourself from the appearance of wrinkles and freckles. Cruisetraveltips talks about 15 most common mistakes travellers made while using sunscreen and how it can really protect your skin from burns.
Mistake # 1: Using the sunblock cream at the wrong time
Everyone, probably, has seen many times on the beach people who first spread their beach mats, dress in swimsuits and only after that they start to smear themselves with sun gel. It is not right. Cream on the skin should be applied cream half an hour before leaving the house. It will take him time to absorb and take action to protect the skin from ultraviolet rays from the first minutes of exposure to the sun, when it is especially vulnerable.
Mistake # 2: Applying Cream Around Clothes
Skin cancer can affect it in any area, so it is more correct to apply sunscreen, after undressing completely. “If you have already put on a swimsuit, you will try not to stain it when applying the cream,” dermatologists say. Doctors advise to smear the cream completely naked in front of a full-length mirror and apply it to the whole body, not forgetting about the middle of the back and calf muscles.
Mistake # 3: Neglecting lip protection
Lips are also subject to the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation, so they need special protective equipment. However, you should not use the same cream as for the body, it is unpleasant in taste and, moreover, will not linger on the lips for a long time. It is better to use a special SPF-balm, which, thanks to its dense texture, will protect the lips for a longer time. You should periodically re-apply the balm to ensure permanent protection of the lips, even if you drink, eat or talk while in the sun.
Mistake # 4: Small but Important Skin Areas Forgotten
It is a mistake to believe that to protect the body from ultraviolet radiation, one smear of sunscreen on the nose is enough. Unfortunately, there are other, less obvious parts of the body that we often forget about protecting. Least of all people care about the toes and the back of the feet, but they are at risk of sunburn, doctors say. It is worth remembering about the armpits, the back of the neck, eyelids, tips and earlobes.
Mistake # 5: Flushing Sunscreen
When choosing a protective agent, it is important to pay attention to the inscription “waterproof”. While vacationers sweat, lying on the beach, or are in the water, the cream is washed off and the skin becomes vulnerable. When using creams with a special waterproof formula, moisture drops do not linger on the surface of the skin and easily slide off it. In addition, if a regular cream under the influence of water can get into your eyes and cause a burning sensation, a waterproof product will not cause such troubles.
Mistake # 6: Applying Face Cream
This is not a marketing gimmick: there really is a difference between the specifics of body and face sunscreens. If you have sensitive skin that is prone to acne, you should not use body products, especially sprays and lotions, which include alcohol – they dry and irritate the skin of the face.
Mistake # 7: Using the cream on sunny days only
The negative effects of ultraviolet radiation can spread to the skin, even if the sun is not visible due to clouds. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 80% of ultraviolet rays can penetrate through the clouds, so you should not lose vigilance even on cloudy days.
Mistake # 8: Too little cream
The old rule that it is worth applying the cream only in the volume of the “small glass” is still relevant. However, today people often use means in the form of sprays, which do not always provide the degree of coverage of the skin, ensuring its safety. Doctors recommend by spraying the product, gently rub it on the skin, even if the instructions for use on the package does not mention it, and then apply the spray again.
Mistake number 9: you think that while in the car it is impossible to get a sunburn
Complete protection from ultraviolet radiation is not possible, unless of course you plan to spend time in a bunker without windows. When driving a car, a person is most at risk of sunburn, doctors say. Yes, tanning is so difficult, because windows and a windshield block UVB rays, but direct UVA radiation penetrates through the glass, and it is to a greater extent that causes skin cancer and aging. Therefore, it is important not to forget to use sunscreen every morning when driving a car.
Mistake # 10: Using narrow-spectrum creams
Most sunblocks only block UVB rays, the main cause of sunburn. However, protection against UVA radiation, which penetrates the skin especially deeply, causing its premature aging, is no less important. To fully protect yourself from the harmful effects of both types of sunlight, you need to choose a sunscreen with the inscription “broad spectrum”.
Mistake # 11: Choosing a Cream with Low Protection
Yes, technically, sunblock oil with an SPF level of 8 can be called a sunscreen, but it is unlikely to save from sunburn. The International Skin Cancer Foundation recommends using products with a protection factor of at least 15 units. But is it worth choosing a cream with an indicator higher? You can often hear that products with an overestimated SPF are a waste of money: creams with a protection level of 30 block 97% of the radiation, and this figure for funds with an index of 50 is only 1% higher. However, the latter still have some advantages. Such funds absorb more free radicals that produce energy, so doctors recommend them for the summer. It is also important to remember that when using creams with SPF 100, it is necessary to re-apply to the skin as often as products with a protection factor of 30.
Mistake No. 12: Single application of cream
Often people use a sun protection product once, believing that this is enough. However, to protect the skin throughout the day, you need to apply a protective cream every one and a half hours, even if it is waterproof.
Mistake # 13: Using an old cream
If you discovered the remnants of last year’s remedy, before using it, you should remember when this cream was purchased. It should not be stored for more than two years – over time, the cream loses its protective properties.
Mistake No. 14: Neglecting sunscreen in the shade
The fact that the tourist hid from the sun under a beach umbrella or under a canopy near the pool does not guarantee him complete protection from the sun. Sand and water reflect the sun’s rays and even being under an umbrella, a person receives 34% of ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, do not forget about protective equipment, resting in the shade – the skin needs protection.
Mistake # 15: Lack of eye protection
Sunglasses are not only a fashion accessory, but also an important element of protecting the eyes from ultraviolet radiation. Make sure your glasses provide this kind of protection. Dark lenses without a special protective coating cause the pupil to expand, with ultraviolet penetrating the eye, contributing to the development of cataracts. And do not forget to lubricate the thin skin of the eyelids with sunscreen.
Martin Wynn
