Spring break is here! Don’t let a bad sunburn hamper your fun-filled plans. We have a great selection of excellent sunscreens. Be sure to choose a product with “broad spectrum” coverage which means it blocks both UVA and UVB radiation. UVB is the major cause of sunburn, but we now know UVA rays contribute to skin damage and cancer. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends an SPF of 30 or more to reduce the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. All sunscreens should be re-applied at least every 2 hours even if they are water resistant. The SPF (sun protection factor) of a sunscreen is the amount of UV radiation required to cause sunburn with sunscreen on, as a multiple of the amount required without it on. The higher the SPF, the more protection offered. As a general rule of thumb, we recommend an SPF equal to the number of minutes you plan to be in sunlight longer than which you would normally burn. For example if you normally burn after 60 minutes and plan to be in the sun for 2 hours (120 minutes), we would suggest an SPF of at least 60.
