It’s That Time of the Year Again: Sunscreen!

There was a most excellent article in the Houston Chronicle last month with lots of new, interesting and important facts about sunscreen.  I have posted my favorites below, but check out the full article for all the goods.

• “Buying a sunscreen with a high SPF is not as important as using enough sunscreen, getting it on all the places and reapplying when you need to,” says Dennis Hughes, a pediatric oncologist at the Children’s Cancer Hospital at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
• SPF 15 blocks about 93 percent of the UVB (ultraviolet B) rays that cause sunburns. SPF 30 absorbs nearly 97 percent of those same rays. SPF 50, 98 percent. By the time you get to SPF 70 or 100, the difference in absorption is quite small.
• Try applying a lip balm with SPF around the eyes, says Carol Drucker, an associate professor in M.D. Anderson’s dermatology department. The waxy texture stays in place and does not bleed into this sensitive area.
• Apply a good mineral-based sunscreen around the eyes since chemical-based sunscreens can cause irritation, says Susan Chon, another assistant professor in M.D. Anderson’s dermatology department.
• The effectiveness of any sunscreen depends on individual factors, including how much sunscreen someone uses, the time of day when a person is exposed to the sun, the time of year and how much a person sweats.

In short, some of the newest sunscreens, which boast SPF’s of 100, are not much more effective than a good slathering of SPF 15.  From my experience, the mineral makeup that I have been wearing the last couple of years is so much more effective than a lotion (i.e., another step in the beauty routine).  Have you tried Jane Iredale’s dry sunscreen?  It is awesome.  Like mineral makeup for your body.  And no greasy, slimy, sticky goo.  Take care of yourself now – it will pay you back later on.