SPF 20, 30, 50… The numbers displayed on tubes of sunscreen may seem enigmatic. Can we stay longer in the sun, if we use a 50 index? This is what the sun protection factor (FPS) really is for.
Sun cream is one of the essentials of summer to face the heat, heat waves and sunshine. But, we don’t use it anyway. If you have got into the habit of reusing the old sunscreen tube for last year, you can stop: the cream is probably no longer effective from one year to the next, after being exposed to heat, perhaps sand, and opened multiple times.
Another essential element is frequently misunderstood about solar creams: what correspond to the 20, 30 or 50 values on the product tube?
Choose your sunscreen: What is FPS?
These numbers correspond to the sun protection index or sun protection factor (FPS, or SPF for “Sun Protection Factor”). It is ” the amount of sun that would have to be received to catch a sunburn after applying the product Summarizes health insurance. The FPS ” assesses the capacity of the product to delay the aggression of UVB on your skin “, Complete the government.
UVBs are responsible for sunburn (which even gets caught in the shade). From May to August, the UV rays emitted by the sun are more intense in France (around 7 to 8, on a scale up to 9). The UV index is used to measure the intensity of this radiation. The more important it is, the more it is advisable to protect yourself from the sun.
What difference between a sunscreen 30 and 50?
Here are the 4 levels of sun protection found on solar creams:
- FPS 6 et 10 : low protection,
- FPS 15, 20 et 25 : average protection,
- FPS 30 et 50 : haute protection,
- FPS 50+ : Very high protection.
Are we bronze with a 30-one sunscreen?
Our bronze skin with any sunscreen. Whether its index is 20, 30 or even 50+, a sunscreen does not prevent tanning.
This is what index 30 means: ” A sunscreen of coefficient 30 indicates that the application of the cream multiplies by 30 the dose of UVB necessary to cause a sunburn “, According to health insurance.
These values therefore represent a time report before the appearance of the sunburn. But, ” Keep in mind that a solar product with high or very high sun protection index does not allow longer exposure ».
A good sunscreen protects UVB and UVA
Make sure the product protects from UVB, but also UVAs. These rays are formidable and involved in the genesis of skin cancer, specifies the UFC Que Choisir.
In general, it is recommended to limit the duration of exposure to the sun, especially from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. during the summer, and to cover yourself (clothes, glasses, hats).
How to choose my sunscreen and its SPF?
The National Institute of Consumption (INC) gives its site advice to choose its sunscreen. You must first determine your skin type to find out if you should turn to a very high index or not.
Once you know your skin type, you have to consider the sun exposure conditions.
| Moderate exposure ☀️ |
Important exposure ☀️☀️ |
Extreme exhibition ☀️☀️☀️ |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Extremely sensitive skin | Haute protection | Very high protection | Very high protection |
| Sensitive skin | Average protection | Haute protection | Very high protection |
| Intermediate skin | Low protection | Average protection | Haute protection |
| Fairly resistant skin | Low protection | Low protection | Average protection |
Mate, black or mixed skins may, for example, opt for a SPF 30 in the event of a strong sunshine, while clear skins will need greater protection, such as a SPF 50 or 50+.
To protect the youngest, systematically use a sunscreen index 50 anti-UVB and anti-UVA. Children and adolescents have fine skin, very sensitive to UV radiation. “” At this age, intense exposure and sunburns are ensuing a major risk of the appearance of skin melanoma in adulthood “, According to health insurance.
Watch out for the “total screen” and other false solar creams
If you find a cream indicating “total screen”, distrust: this appellation is no longer authorized in France. No sunscreen can filter the ultraviolet rays of the sun 100 %.
In addition, the products that really protect the sun should not be confused with other “solar” cosmetics which are only tanning accelerators, but are no protection against UVA and UBV. The risk can even be to increase exposure to UV radiation by applying these products, and therefore the risk of catching a sunburn.
How to put sunscreen well?
It may seem obvious, but it is always useful to remember. It is necessary to spread your sunscreen on all the surfaces of the skin exposed to the sun. We tend to forget certain areas: the ears, the temples, the neck, the back of the hands and the top of the feet.
The product applies in thick layers, from 20 to 30 minutes before sun exposure. The Injects to apply a layer of 2mg/cm² of skin, which is equivalent to ” 6 good teaspoons or half a ball of ping-pong of sunscreen for the body of an adult ».
When to put sunscreen putting?
The application is to be renewed every 2 hours, and after each swim or intense physical activity (even if the cream mentions water resistance on its packaging). Close the tube or pot well after each use and avoid leaving it dragged in full sun.
Finally, remember that sunscreen is not only used during the summer holidays, at the beach. We are also exposed to the sun on a daily basis, in town, by playing sports or on a walk: the use of sunscreen is indicated in these situations.
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