First, we should start out with “what is a sunburn?” We all know (and dread) sunburns… when our skin gets red as a lobster and radiates heat for what seems like an eternity. But what actually happened?… because sunburns can happen when the sun isn’t even high and bright in the sky.
We get sunburned when our skin is exposed to UV rays (whether directly from the sun or from some artificial source like a tanning bed). The longer we are exposed, the more burnt we get. Naturnally, we have melanin which gives our skin its color. As we are exposed to UV rays, our body makes more melanin - which acts like a shield to more incoming UV light.
However, we can only have so much melanin protection. When we’re exposed to more UV rays than our melanin can prevent, the skin cells get inflamed (red, swollen, and painful).
So to prevent all of that madness, we wear sunscreen. Whether it's lotion or spray, when purchasing sunscreen we need to look at the SPF number. The Sun Protection Factor (we know it as it’s abbreviation “SPF”) is a formula based on how many seconds it would take a patch of skin to get red with the product on. So if it would take 450 seconds for skin to burn with the sunscreen on, but only 10 seconds for your skin to burn without it, then the SPF rating of the product would be 45 (450 seconds divided by 10 seconds = 45 SPF). Long story short… the higher the SPF, the better.
But also, we need to consider more than just SPF. The ingredients in the sunscreen need to be examined when you're choosing the best fit for your skin, as some key ingredients will provide better protection. There are two ingredients the FDA looks at as safe for UV ray protection: Titanium dioxide and Zinc oxide.
Lastly, don’t forget that there are non-chemical ways to protect our skin from UV rays. Hats, sleeved shirts, and even finding some shade are all good options.
Sources and Helpful Links