What Does “SPF” Mean?
Have you ever been to the beach of the sea, if you have, then you must have applied sunscreen lotion to avoid the scorching heat. This sunscreen lotion protects our skin from harmful ultraviolet rays coming from the sun. Do you know due to which substance these sunscreen lotions are able to save our skin? What’s in a sunscreen lotion? Let’s know What Does “SPF” Mean?
You must have often noticed that not a single day can go by at the beach without the sticky feeling of sunscreen leaving white streaks on the cheeks. We apply it on our face because we know that if we want to protect our skin then we have to do so. Dermatologists and our moms alike have on our minds the need for a high-dose SPF (“SPF”) sunscreen before it burns our skin. But you don’t know what exactly happens when applying a “high SPF” sunscreen?
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| photo credit -britannica.com |
Meaning of SPF
The SPF (“SPF”) on sunscreen stands for ‘Sun Protection Factor’, which is helpful when you need to protect yourself from the strong ultraviolet rays of the sun. Using a lotion containing “SPF” will protect you from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.
UVB rays mainly affect the outer layer of the skin, the epidermis. These rays are responsible for sunburns and some surface-level skin cancers. The sun also emits UVA rays, which can penetrate the lower layer of the skin, called the dermis. UVA rays are commonly associated with “tanning”. However, dark skin color is a sign of damage to cells in the dermis. SPF numbers usually refer only to UVB rays, but some sunscreens can also protect against UVA.
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How SPF Tells You that How long are you safe ?
How does SPF tell you? How long are you safe? Well, let’s say you usually get burned after being outside for 30 minutes and you have an SPF 15 sunscreen that you are planning to use. You’d multiply 30 by the SPF, in this case 15. That means you’re technically protected for 450 minutes, or 7.5 hours—note that this is technically speaking. Most sunscreens will wear out long before exposure to the elements as well as improper application. It is recommended that you reapply this face every two hours. The number of UVB rays you protect also increases with SPF, albeit modestly. SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays, SPF 30 blocks 97%, and SPF 100 blocks 99%.
So friends, now you have understood very well that What Does “SPF” Mean? We hope that this information will be beneficial for you. If you like the blog then do share it with your friends. Thank you.
Note – The above information is based on information obtained through various internet sources. We recommend its therapeutic use.
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