With the summer heat over our heads we need to know sunscreen myths and facts as our face and body get into direct exposure to the dangerous UV radiations, it’s time for some healthy skincare habits and routines but even more, it’s time to take out our sunscreens.
We cannot protect our entire body from the harmful UV or Ultraviolet radiation but we can protect the most sensitive area of our body, our face; and sunscreens help us do exactly that. But aren’t sunscreens oily and take away the glow of our skin? Well, they do! So, the question here is, why should we apply it if it makes our skin oily? We will get to this point too but before knowing that, we are going to discuss some fun facts about sunscreen and what it is.
What are the Sunscreen Myths and Facts and Why do we need it ?
Sunscreens are lotion, spray, gel, or foam that absorbs or reflects some of the sun’s Ultraviolet rays and protects our skin from sunburns and diseases like skin cancer. Sunscreens also protect us from UVB, another form of Ultraviolet rays that causes tanning, wrinkling, and aging. Using sunscreen is your choice and if you don’t want to wear it nobody can force you but then again nobody wants to attract a disease as deadly as skin cancer isn’t it?
Sunscreen Major Myths About Sunscreen
Below are some major myths about sunscreen:
Myth 1: Higher SPF means more protection
Pretty sure that the first question in your mind is, what is an SPF? Well, SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and it is a measuring amount for how well the sunscreen we use will protect us from UV rays.
The most common misconception or myth about sunscreens that people have is that the higher the SPF the more protection the sunscreen will offer, but this isn’t entirely true. One might think that SPF 50 must be more effective and better than SPF 30 right?
Nah, There’s not much difference between SPF 50 and SPF 30. Higher SPF only moderately shields us from UV rays damage, it’s like a difference of 19/20 almost minimal.
Consumers buying sunscreens with higher SPF are often fooled by sellers too; they sell sunscreens with higher Sun protection factor at higher prices claiming that it will protect the skin for a longer time and that they do not need to re-apply the sunscreen.
Be aware of such misconceptions and be careful before buying sunscreens the next time and it doesn’t matter which brand of sunscreen you buy, make sure to re-apply it after every 2-3 hours if you have to stay out in the sun for long.
Myth 2: Men do not need Sunscreens
The most bizarre myth about sunscreen is that men do not need it, that sunscreens are for women and men shouldn’t apply it. And honestly calling this a myth would be embarrassing for the myth itself, this is just a sexist thing made up by the so-called ‘fake masculine’ men of our toxic society.
Men’s skin is slightly tougher than that of women but their skin is exposed to sunlight the same as any other persons, in fact even more and thus UV rays can cause several problems including skin cancer.
So, all the men out there reading this article next time before going out of your house, make sure to apply sunscreen and protect your skin from the scorching heat and harmful UV rays. And make sure to check the SPF or sun protection factor before buying sunscreens.
Myth 3: You do not need sunscreens on cloudy days or indoors
This was actually still believed by 97/100 people that if the weather outside is cloudy then we don’t need sunscreens, are you one of those people
Also See: Difference Between Chemical And Physical Sunscreen
Sunscreen Well, if you were then let’s clear out this myth about sunscreen too. Doesn’t matter what the weather outside is, overcast, sunny, or simply raining; if you are going out, apply sunscreen. Why; you ask? Even on days when you can barely see the sun, UV rays penetrate through clouds damaging our skin, causing tanning, wrinkles, and aging.
Now that we are talking about applying sunscreen daily, you should know a fun fact or rather a scary fact too, and that is that even when we are inside the four protected walls of our house, UV rays manage to sneak in through our windows. Therefore, it doesn’t matter whether you are spending a quiet afternoon at your home or going out, you must always apply sunscreen to protect yourself from the harmful effects of UV rays.
Myth 4: Sunscreen will prevent the body from absorbing vitamins.
While it is true to some extent that sunscreens prevent the body from absorbing vitamins as vitamins enter our body through UV rays, there still is a loophole. The loophole is that even though sunscreens protect our body and face from UV rays, it doesn’t completely absorb or reflect UV rays and thus our body finds its way and absorbs Vitamins and an interesting fun fact is that scientific researches have found that 30-45 mins of sunlight are enough in a day to absorb the adequate amount of vitamins required by our body.
So next time don’t stop yourself from applying sunscreen just because of a myth you heard about sunscreen.
Sunscreen Myth 5: People with dark skin don’t need sunscreens
Another bizarre myth or misconception is that sunscreen is unnecessary for dark skin tones or for those who don’t burn in the sun, it might be true to some extent and yes, dark skin protects against sun tanning but in situations of extreme sun exposures, even dark skin toned people need protection from harmful effects of UV rays.
Without the use of sunscreens, UV rays damage will lead to premature aging and wrinkles and nobody wants that, now do they? So, if you have lived under the myth that sunscreens are not for dark skin toned people then now is the time to get out of it and protect your skin.
Also See: 7 Best Mineral Based Sunscreens You Must Check Out
These are a few of the most common myths about sunscreen that people believe in and if you were or are one of them then now is the time to clear out everything and protect your skin and yourself from the harmful effects of sun and UV rays.
