Side effects of sunscreen and how to prevent them
Everyone knows that sunlight is a part of life, a valuable source of natural energy but also a factor that destroys the skin. Using sunscreen to protect the skin is what dermatologists recommend, but how to use sunscreen effectively?
Sunlight is the leading cause of skin cancer in countries like Australia, New Zealand...
In Vietnam, skin cancer also accounts for a significant proportion of skin diseases. With the development of economic life, people have become aware of preserving and protecting their skin by using sunscreen.
Sunscreen is a cream that contains chemical or physical ingredients that can block, absorb or disperse sunlight, reducing the harmful effects of sunlight on the skin. Sunscreen can be considered both a cosmetic and a topical medication. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention when using sunscreen to achieve the highest efficiency without side effects or loss of effectiveness.
What types of sunscreen are there?
Physical sunscreen: This type of sunscreen acts as a shield to prevent, reflect, and disperse sunlight rays, preventing them from affecting the skin. Titanium and zinc oxides are both physical sunscreens and skin protectors.
Chemical sunscreen: This type of cream contains chemical ingredients that can absorb or convert light through chemical reactions. This type is often less effective than physical sunscreens. In fact, people often combine the above two types to create a highly effective sunscreen.
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| Apply enough sunscreen to be effective. |
How much sunscreen is enough?
Depending on the type of sunscreen with high or low SPF, you need to apply enough cream to have effective sun protection. For the type with SPF from 15 or higher, for the area of a face, you need to apply about 2.5g of cream. Another way is to estimate that about 1 index finger full of cream will be enough for the whole face. If you do not apply enough sunscreen, the sun protection effect will be poor and the sun protection time will be short.
When should I apply sunscreen?
Use sunscreen about 15 minutes before going out in the sun. Sunscreen should be used by people with thin, light-colored skin that is susceptible to sunburn. People with skin diseases such as: photosensitivity, systemic diseases (such as systemic lupus erythematosus, collagen disease...), patients who are taking photosensitivity drugs (for example: doxycycline, tetracycline...) can use sunscreen for protection. Everyone can use sunscreen to protect their skin.
Side effects of sunscreen
Sunscreen has few side effects but the following symptoms may occur:
Contact dermatitis: ingredients in sunscreen can cause allergic contact dermatitis. Therefore, when using sunscreen for the first time, you should test a small amount on the inside of your forearm. Wait until the next day if there are no signs of itching or rash, then you can use it.
Skin darkening: Some creams that are not suitable for your skin type can cause skin darkening. However, this side effect is very rare.
When using sunscreen, you should avoid
Avoid water: When using sunscreen while bathing, the sunscreen effect will be greatly reduced, usually half the effect. Therefore, after bathing, you need to reapply sunscreen to achieve the desired effect;
Avoid applying to mucous membranes:Some sunscreens can cause irritation if they come into contact with mucous membranes such as the eyes, mouth, etc. Therefore, avoid applying sunscreen to these areas;
Avoid strenuous exercise:When exercising a lot, sweat will be secreted and the sunscreen will be washed away; Do not use sunscreen in combination with other topical medications. Sometimes using these medications together can cause drug interactions that affect your skin, even causing irritation and allergies.
Don't rely too much on sunscreen:Although sunscreen is very effective when used properly, we should not rely too much on the fact that we have used sunscreen.
In addition to using sunscreen, you should use simple but very effective protection methods such as wearing hats, long clothes, and covering your face when going out in the hot sun, especially avoiding going out between 10am and 3pm.
To have a white skin that is always youthful and free of freckles and sunburn, protect your skin from sun damage.
What is SPF?
SPF is a 3-letter abbreviation for the English word: Sun Protection Factor. Different types of sunscreen will have different SPF indexes. Sunscreens usually have an SPF of about 15. The higher the SPF, the more protection the skin has from the sun.
There are sunscreens on the market today with SPF 81. However, in reality, it is not necessary to use sunscreens with such high SPF. Usually, you only need to use SPF 15 - 30 but properly.
