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Journalism of Courage
Many may find slathering a sunscreen cream at frequent intervals a bit cumbersome and runny but unprotected sun exposure can have serious consequences. It causes your skin to age prematurely, causing wrinkles, fine lines, skin discoloration and even scarring. If you experience repeated sunburns over several years, you could also increase your risk of developing skin cancer. Truth is with sunscreen protection in earlier years, you can look years or even a decade younger.
There are several user-friendly creams that can align with various skin types, wearable devices to remind you of when you need to apply them and customised innovations.
Sunscreen can decrease your risk of skin cancers and precancerous skin lesions. “Studies show that daily use of SPF 30 sunscreen can reduce your risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) by about 40 percent, and lower your melanoma risk by 50 per cent,” says Dr Vikas Sharma, chief consultant dermatologist and dermato-laser surgeon, National Skin Hospital, Panchkula.
This means the cream shields the skin from the sun’s UVA and UVB rays. “UVA radiation makes up 95 per cent of all the UV rays that make it to the Earth’s surface. It penetrates the skin deeply, resulting in a tan. UVB makes up only five per cent of the UV rays, does not penetrate as deeply as UVA but can damage top layers of your skin and cause skin cancer with prolonged exposure. So these creams come with both a PA (protection grade of UVA) and SPF (sun protection factor) rating. PA is graded from PA+ to PA++++, the last offering the highest level of UVA protection. SPF measures the level of protection against UVB rays. And SPF of 50 is good,” says Dr KM Kapoor, senior plastic surgeon and director, Anticlock Clinic and Medispa, Chandigarh.
Apply your moisturiser first, wait for two minutes to allow it to penetrate your skin, and then follow up with a broad-spectrum sunscreen.
Sunscreens are no longer just creams but come as mousses, rub-on sticks and powders. So application is no longer a tedious process, considering you have to do it three or four times a day. “Look for sunscreens labelled ‘water-resistant’ for extended wearability. Tinted sunscreens offer not only sun protection but also coverage for imperfections and a more even skin tone. For better routines, there are wearable UV stickers. When sunscreen is applied over the sticker, it should turn clear, meaning you are protected. When it’s purple, it means that you have lost that protection and must reapply sunscreen,” says Dr Kapoor.
Mineral sunscreen, often referred to as physical sunscreen, is a type of sun protection that contains physical UV blockers such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. “These sit on top of the skin to reflect, scatter and block harmful UV radiation. These are ideal for children, people with sensitive skin and people with melasma (grey brown patches on skin). The heat dissipation of chemical sunscreens can exacerbate melasma in some. Unlike chemical sunscreens, which typically take 20 to 30 minutes to be absorbed into the skin, mineral sunscreens offer immediate protection. Can be applied over makeup too,” says Dr Sharma.
