What does the SPF symbol mean on the solar protection products? Why do you need to protect your skin from UVA and UVB radiations? What is the idel SPF for your skin?
You are in front of the shelves of a supermarket. If you want to decided wisely and efficiently for your family, you need to take in consideration some essential aspects regarding the previously asked questions. As any other human being, nowadays the internet is the place to go in order to look for information, even about the solar radiations and the SPF cremes. I look at things differently, being a producer of organic and healthy cremes. I am fed up with false information from various blogs and this is why I choose to write a short article about solar protection. This article was writtten for me, for that part of me that didn't know how things worked. I wanted to use the information that I gathered in order to create the best, high-quality, organic, healthy and efficient product.
Photo by Leon Biss on UnsplashWhat are UVA and UVB radiations?
We start from the abbreviations: UVA/UVB, meaning ultraviolet radiations, type A or B. Our eye perceives only a part of the light that comes from the Sun. Natural light radiations contain other radiations too, that cannot be perceived by the human eye, but by animals and insects. Bees, for example, perceive ultraviolet lights. Light, seen by humans, has a 400mm to 750mm wavelength. The inferior limit of 400mm is the violet color zone, this is why radiations under 400mm are named ultrviolets. In this cathegory we have UVA and UVB, unperceivable by the human eye.
UVA radiations (315-400mm)
-having a longer wavelength than UVB radiatins, they penetrate the skin deeply. They cause dehydration, they break apart the collagen cells and the skin loses its elasticity.
-they can indirectly modify the ADN and ARN by the fact that they decompose neuter molecules in free radicals which produce cancer
-the natural ageing process of the skin is caused in proportion of 20% by genetic factors and 80% by UVA radiations that do not make the skin turn red and their effects are long-term effects
Photo by Bhupendra Singh from Pexels
UVB radiations (200-315mm)
-they penetrate the first layers of the skin. They participate in the vitamin D secretion. Studies say that, during the summer, in order to maintain a normal levef of vitamin D in our bodies, it is enough to expose ourselves to the Sun for 5-15 minutes, three times a week.
-they do not penetrate glass
-the human skin secrets melanin in order to protect the skin from UVBs. Melanin is the pigment that colors the skin and helps us get tanned. Melanin is a natural protector of the skin, because it absorbs both the UVA and UVB radiations and turns them into thermal energy
VERY IMPORTANT!!!
Ultraviolets radiations are present even when it is cloudy and there is fog. More than that, ultraviolet radiations are reflected in sand, rocks, water, snow, ice etc. About 90% of the ultraviolet radiations penetrate the clouds and this is why we should apply SPF even during cloudy days. In winter, it is okay to apply only a day creme that contains SPF.
What does SPF mean and why is it important for us?
SPF - Sun Protection Factor. This factors usually refers to protection against UVB. If the product can be used against UVA, there has to be specified on the label as in this model:
UVB +, sau UVB și UVA
SPF or Sun Protection Factor influences the time in which our skin is protected by the sun and its radiations without being burnt. The time is also influenced by other factors: skintype, season, geografic position etc. and, in general, it varies from 5 to 30 minutes. This is the formula that you can use in order to calculate the maximum amount of time that you cand spend in the sun using SPF products.
Photo by Pixabay from PexelsExample: SigNature face daycreams contain 20 SPF. Even the SPF has to be natural for us, this is why we use zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. A daycream of 20 SPF prolongs the maxim time amount to be spend in the sount 20 times. Talking about me, I have normal skin, that tends to turn red in the summer, in the afternoon for about 10 minutes. By applying a daycream of 20SPF, this is how the calculation will look like:
This means that, by applying a SigNature daycream of 20SPF, you will be protected from the Sun radiations for 200 minutes, your skin will not suffer and will not turn red. My family and I use only natural cosemtics and this is why we never use anything else than my natural creams with 20SPF. This factor is more than enough for urban environments. But, when we are on the beach or in any mountain trip, we apply 50+ SPF creams. I know that they contain some molecules that are not necessarily safe, some raw materials about which there are not many studies, especially about their long-term effects, but it was my decision. I believe it to be better for our whole family, to apply a high SPF cream in certain circumstances instead of exposing ourselves with no protection at all.
What do you think about this subject? Please tell me your honest opinion here. Thank you!
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Bibliography:
https://www.webbeteg.hu/cikkek/borbetegsegek/1221/az-uv-sugarzas-lehetseges-hatasai
https://www.nivea.ro/sfaturi/protectie-solara/factorul-protectie-solara
