Apply more sunscreen instead of higher SPF, experts say

Consumers are being advised to apply sunscreen generously this summer rather than choose an ultra-high SPF lotion.

With more and more 100+ SPF lotions on the market, many people believe that they need to use a very high factor sunscreen in order to be protected from UV rays.

However, no sunscreen offers absolute protection and whilst the higher numbers sound impressive, they really do not mean much in terms of sun safety.

Here’s a simple table to explain SPF values and the amount of UVB rays blocked:

You will notice there is actually not much difference between SPF15 and SPF100 – at least a lot less difference than the SPF figure appears to represent. The fact is that, as long as they are properly applied, most sun lotions offers quite a high level of protection and it just isn’t necessary for most of us to use an ultra-high SPF sunscreen.

Why you need to apply sunscreen generously

However, the most revealing information comes from a clinical professor of dermatology at New York University who has been researching the efficacy of sunscreens.

He said: “It turns out if you apply half the amount [of sunscreen], you get the protection of only the square root of the SPF”.

What this means is if you are supposed to apply an ounce of SPF70 sun lotion but only use half an ounce, you will get just SPF8.4. Similarly, if you use half the recommended amount of SPF25, you will only get the protection of SPF5.

This means that the higher the SPF, the more rapidly the protection falls off with under-application.

Why higher SPF sunscreen doesn’t mean better protection

Many people buy higher SPF sun lotions because they want better protection but unfortunately, they can sometimes end up offering less.

You may coat your children in SPF100 first thing and think they are covered all day, or use the less-impressive sounding SPF25 and choose to re-apply regularly and give them a sun hat and T-shirt to wear.

What this demonstrates is that it is easy to be lulled into a false sense of security by a high SPF and fail to re-apply. Re-applying is vital because it renews the UVA protection of the sunscreen – and it is UVA rays which penetrate more deeply into the skin, causing premature ageing and long term damage.

• Don’t underestimate how much sun lotion you need to apply to cover the entire body – a full ounce. This is equivalent to a shot glass or 30ml.
• Re-apply this much every 2 hours and after swimming or strenuous exercise
• SPF100 offers only 3% more protection than SPF25

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