April 1, 2023
Sunscreen season should be year round... but, as summer sun + travel approaches this is when we usually think about it. So here are 5 things you probably didn't know about sunscreen safety:
There are two main types of sunscreens - chemical barriers and physical barriers. Chemical barriers absorb INTO the skin to block rays and most chemical barriers have ingredients linked to health harm and/or ocean harm. Physical barriers sit ON the skin. Zinc Oxide is one of the safest physical barriers and is safe for use in our oceans as it doesn’t harm coral reefs or other delicate ecosystems.
A higher SPF doesn’t necessarily mean better protection. An SPF 30 will block 95% of UV rays, while an SPF 50 will only increase this percentage to 98%. And, using a higher SPF can actually give us a false sense of security, which may discourage reapplication or other sun protection strategies.
Reapplication isn’t just recommended, it is required! Follow the directions provided for reapplication, which usually recommend at least every 2 hours, and more often if you are sweating, swimming, or not using other sun protection methods.
Sunscreen is just one way to protect your skin from the sun and it shouldn’t be the only protection you use. Wear a hat, cover your skin with loose clothing, seek shade, and wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from UV rays and blue light.
Even “clean” sunscreen isn’t intended for use on infants 6 months or younger. For infants age 6 months or less you will need to rely on other sun protection strategies (shade and coverage).
