SPF 30 vs SPF 50: What Does the SPF Number Mean?
Summer is here and there's nothing quite so memorable than relishing a day out in the sunshine. Whether you are spending the day poolside or playing in the sand at the beach, the sunshine feels good.
Yet, there are risks associated with letting the sun hit your skin. Getting too much sun can mean sunburn and long term problems like wrinkles and skin cancer.
Applying sunscreen with a high SPF number can help to protect your skin from short term and long term consequences from the sun. What is SPF? And what does the SPF number mean?
Have you ever wondered what sunscreen to wear and how it will protect your skin? Read on to learn about the SPF numbers on sunscreen.
What Does the SPF Number Mean?
Wondering why use sunblock, especially one with a high SPF number? SPF stands for the sun protection factor. The SPF number indicates the sunscreen's ability to block those harmful UVB rays from the sun.
SPF is measured in percentages. The higher the number the more protection it provides you from the rays of the sun. So, when you select a sunscreen, the higher the number, the more protection your skin has from the harmful rays that cause a burn or skin cancer.
This is assuming you have applied enough sunscreen and often enough.
SPF 30 Vs SPF 50
Following this logic, then an SPF 50 sunscreen is better than an SPF sunscreen right? That is mostly true, although the amount of protection is actually quite close.
SPF 30 sunscreen blocks 97.6% of the sun's rays when properly applied. SPF 50 sunscreen blocks 98% of the sun's rays when properly applied.
While the difference might seem minimal, it can make a big difference over a period of time.
Things to Remember About Using Sunblock
The SPF number like 30 or 50 tells you about the level of protection from UVB rays. For this reason, you want to be sure your sunscreen also provides broad-spectrum protection, so you are also protected from UVA rays.
There are two common mistakes people make related to sunscreen. First, they don't apply enough of it when they apply. Sunscreen should be applied daily before going out in the sun. You should also reapply after drying off from being in the water. The second mistake is related to reapplying.
You need to put on sunscreen at a minimum of every two hours with a generous application to be properly protected from the sun's harmful rays.
Protect Your Skin By Using Good Sun Protection
Understanding what the SPF number means is important because it tells you that you want to select a sunscreen with a high number like SPF 50. If you are certain to generously apply every few hours, you should have good protection from the sun's harmful UVB rays.
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