Tips for using sunscreen properly

Sunscreen is one of the products that women should learn about to care for and protect their skin.

On hot summer days with bright sunlight, sunscreen is indispensable.

Using sunscreen properly is one of the important steps in the process of caring for, beautifying and protecting the skin against the effects of sunlight that will make your skin dark, blotchy, rough, uneven, and age quickly. Not only that, sunlight is also the cause of extremely dangerous skin cancers.

Especially on hot summer days with bright, burning sunlight like this, learning about effective and safe ways to use sunscreen to effectively protect the skin becomes even more important and necessary.

Choosing the right sunscreen

Choosing the right sunscreen is the first and most important measure to help you protect yourself from the sun most effectively because different types of sunscreen will have different SPF indexes and according to the principle, the higher the SPF index, the longer the skin can be protected from the sun, not the better.

Therefore, many people mistakenly believe that a high SPF will protect their skin better without knowing that their skin is being damaged when using the wrong index. Therefore, based on your skin characteristics, you should choose to use the appropriate sunscreen:

– Sunscreen must have a clear origin, from reputable cosmetic brands, avoid buying fake or poor quality products that not only do not have effective sun protection but also cause damage to the skin.

– You need to choose a sunscreen specifically for your face and body to achieve the best sun protection effect. You should not use the same type because their effects are completely different.

– Use sunscreen with SPF 20 – 30 for light skin;

– Use sunscreen with SPF below 20 for dark skin;

– If you want to increase protection under the harsh sunlight, you should only use sunscreen with SPF 30-50, which is most suitable. Very high indexes from 60-100 should only be used in special skin areas such as those being treated for melasma or sun allergies because if the SPF index is high, the cream will stay on the skin for too long and will combine with skin secretions and sweat to create chemical reactions that produce free radicals that damage the skin. This is also the reason why your skin gets freckles and age spots if used for a long time.

Apply sunscreen at the right time

Applying sunscreen at the right time plays a very important role. You should not apply sunscreen too early or too late before going out in the sun because it will reduce the skin protection effect. It is best to apply sunscreen about 15 minutes before going out in the sun so that the cream has enough time to penetrate deep into the skin and effectively protect against the sun.

In case you often have to go out in the sun or go swimming, experts recommend reapplying the cream every 2 hours, but it is not necessary to apply too much, just apply a thin layer of cream. If you apply too thickly, the excess cream will not have time to penetrate the skin, which will cause skin allergies in the summer.

Things to avoid when using sunscreen

– Avoid water when using sunscreen: Because water will reduce the effectiveness of sunscreen in protecting the skin. Therefore, when using sunscreen, you should not bathe, or if you bathe, you need to dry your body and apply sunscreen immediately afterwards.

– Avoid applying sunscreen to the mucous membranes of the eyes and mouth: Because this skin area is extremely sensitive and sunscreen can cause irritation and damage to this skin area;

– Avoid sweating when applying sunscreen: When you steam or exercise a lot, sweat escapes from your body and washes away the sunscreen, thus greatly reducing its sun protection effect on the skin;

– Avoid combining sunscreen with other topical medications: Because the ingredients in topical medications may interact with sunscreen, causing skin irritation, reducing the effectiveness of sunscreen and the therapeutic effects of topical medications.

Combine sun protection measures for maximum effectiveness

Although sunscreen protects your skin from the effects of sunlight, you should not rely on sunscreen completely. To maximize the effectiveness of skin protection, you should combine some measures such as:

– Do not go out in the sun during peak hours when the sunlight is at its strongest, from 10am to 2pm;

– Don't forget to use sun masks, sun-protective clothing, sun-protective skirts, gloves, socks, wide-brimmed hats, and glasses to protect your skin when going out in the sun;

– Regularly use foods that are good for the skin, help keep the skin healthy, full of vitality, and help fight against harmful effects of sunlight such as: cucumber, avocado, tomato, orange, soup, yogurt, fresh milk, olive oil, peanut oil, fish rich in omega3 such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, etc.;

– Drink enough water every day to replenish lost water, help skin cells "rehydrate" fully, sweat glands are clear to help skin retain moisture better, thanks to which sunscreen penetrates, promoting the most effective skin protection effect.

With just a few simple and effective ways to use sunscreen, you will know how to protect your skin from the effects of sunlight effectively. Follow the instructions correctly, be flexible according to each time, different circumstances combined with other skin care measures to always be confident with the beauty of your skin in the summer.

According to Afamily