Sunscreen Facts

Understanding SPF

With all the different sunscreen brands on the market, it's tough to decide what is best. One of the determining factors can be deciding between SPF. One misconception is that the higher the SPF, the much higher the protection. This is incorrect.

SPF 30 provides 97% protection from UVB and SPF 100 provides 99% coverage for UVB. The difference between SPF 30 and 100 is very small. To achieve a high SPF, numerous chemicals need to be used which may not be ideal. These higher SPFs are causing people to be out in the sun for extended periods. SPF only addresses UVB not UVA. UVA also causes sun damage and skin cancer which makes it important to pick up a sunscreen that is broad spectrum.