Sunscreens and their SPF #s

With sunny summer days already here, a lot of our clients are asking questions about different sunscreens and what does a higher SPF really mean.

High SPF numbers can be misleading, as an SPF of 30 is not twice as protective as an SPF of 15. When used properly, an SPF of 15 protects the skin from 93% of UVB radiation, an SPF 30 97% and an SPF 65 98% protection. SO, the difference between SPF of 30 and 65 is really 1%!!

The SPF number is really an imperfect way of measuring “how long” we can stay in the sun before getting burned! For example if it takes 10 minutes for unprotected skin to show redness, then an SPF15 sunscreen correctly applied, will take 15 times as long or 150 minutes to burn & SPF 30 will take 30 times as long or 300 minutes, etc…

In reality, it is rare for a person to achieve this exact level of protection as factors like how much you apply, the weather and even your skin type will affect your level of protection.

Enjoy the beautiful weather and have a great long weekend everyone!