Smart Shopping for Sunscreen

Walk down the sunscreen aisle at your local Wal-Mart. If you are like most people, you will find yourself quickly overwhelmed by the possibilities. Sunscreens come in many varieties and SPFs that range from 2 to 80. But how do you know which sunscreen is best? Learn what the numbers on those bottles mean, and then weigh the pros and cons.

What to Look for

Choose a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. SPF (Sun Protection Factor) rates how well the sunscreen protects your skin from a particular type of ultraviolet light called UVB. The number indicates how long you can stay in the sun without getting burned. For example, if you ordinarily get sunburned after spending about 10 minutes in the sun without protection, applying a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 means you can stay in the sun for 30 times as long, or 300 minutes (5 hours), before you get the same sunburn.

Buy a sunscreen with a broad spectrum protection. The SPF indicates only how much protection it affords against UVB sunburns. It does not indicate how much protection the product offers against UVA, the ultraviolet radiation responsible for sun-induced damage, like wrinkles and solar lentigos (liver spots). There is no standard label for UVA or broad spectrum protection. Eventually, however, all sunscreens will display a 4-star label in addition to an SPF label. The stars will indicate how much UVA protection the sunscreen has: 1 star = low, 2 = medium, 3 = high and 4 = highest.

Choose a sunscreen that is stable on your skin. Some sunscreens are composed from chemicals like avobenzone and oxybenzone. These chemicals are good sunscreens, but they degrade quickly as they protect you. After a short period, your skin will carry little or no active sunscreen ingredient and you will be left unprotected. Sunscreens that have stabilizers, such as Helioplex or Mexoryl, allow the active sunscreen ingredients to last longer. Some sunscreens contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, metals that reflect the sun's harmful rays rather then absorb them. Unlike chemical sunscreens, zinc oxide or titanium dioxide sunscreens tend to remain stable longer and do not break down in the sun. They are a personal favorite, since they are usually broad spectrum, long lasting, non-irritating and inexpensive.

Common Pitfalls

Most people apply sunscreens improperly. This is the biggest reason why people still get sunburns despite using protection. To cover your whole body, you should apply 1 oz. of sunscreeen (that's 6 teaspoons or about 1/4 of the your entire bottle of sunscreen).

Chemical sunscreens must be applied 15 to 20 minutes before you are exposed to sun. If you wait until you are lying out on the beach to apply your sunscreen, you might end up with a surprise sunburn.

Sunscreens have to be reapplied every few hours, especially if you are sweaty or enter the water. Remember that no sunscreen is waterproof. If you are at the beach or in the pool, most of your sunscreen will have been washed away in 20 to 40 minutes. You must reapply a new layer of sunscreen once you get out of the water.