Well, this question was asked by Monali – how should I know if my sunscreen is working? Answer is that you might never know so put your faith in good products. I will also try to put some guidelines which might help.
- Ingredients
- Amount of sunscreen you apply
- Diligence in reapplying the sunscreen
- Its shelf life (the newer the sunscreen, better it works)
Also Remember
- Sunscreen doesn’t prevent tanning, though Zinc Oxide based sunscreens do tend to prevent tanning as much as I have surmised.
- Sunscreen doesn’t protect you from sun completely. It just tries to block some of the radiations (at max 98-99%) so keeping away from sun is the best solution. Try to use protective clothing while in sun and don’t forget to reapply.
- Take Care of your skin well afterward. Always double cleanse to remove sunscreen and use ice cubes to soothe the skin everyday. It acts in two ways – helps to remove tanning and also calms down the skin after a day in sun.
- Applying sunscreen doesn’t mean your skin is not getting Vitamin D. It is a huge misconception.
I think I have addressed all points but if you think something is left out, please do let me know.
Anonymous says
January 22, 2013 at 7:10 PMSunscreen does prevent tanning, what r u talking about? I use neutrogena 85 SPF helioplex and i always stay pale, very fair. The chemicals in helioplex absorb UVA and UVB rays those tan you, so how would you get tan with sunscreen? You can’t. That’s why I use it. !
Swati Murti says
February 9, 2013 at 5:29 PMactually its not entirely true. the reason being the best of the sunscreen (spf 50) provides only 98% protection which means 2% of the rays still hit the skin. also, it depends on how much amount of sunscreen has one applied and how regularly they reapply it and how long they stay in direct sunlight!!