SolveYourProblem Article Series: Sunless Tanning
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Skin Types & SPF

Regardless of ethnicity or skin color, skin that is repeatedly exposed to the sun tends to become tough and thick. The results can be leathery skin with wrinkles as early as in your 40's. What can help is using a sunscreen product with some degree of protection from UV rays, listed as the concentration on the SPF (Sun Protection Factor) numbers on the products’ labels. These sunscreen products can be made with ingredients that offer protection against UVA rays and / or other ingredients to protect against UVB rays (more harmful for sun burning than UVA rays.) The best products offer ingredients for protection from both UVA and UVB rays.

The SPF listed on the product label refers to the length of time it will take for your skin to redden after the product has been applied vs. the length of time bare skin or skin without the product would redden. To sum that up, the basic math involved in using the SPF number is like this. The SPF number tells people how much longer they can last out in the sun with protection for their skin without being burned. For example, say you would normally burn after 12 minutes of being out in the sun. You apply sunscreen, also referred to as a sun block, with an SPF of 15. This means that you should be fine for 15 times your average amount of protection time. In other words, you would be protected for up to 3 hours.

Here is the formula for calculating: 12 minutes x 15 SPF = 180 minutes (3 hours).

So in short, sunscreen products with a high SPF provide more protection against the sun. Here is a closer look at different skin types and their preferred SPFs:

Young children – For ages 6 months on up, you should apply a product with an SPF of 15 or higher to protect against both sun tanning and burning. And the product label should list protection against both UVA and UVB rays also known as the "broad-spectrum."

Skin Type - Very Fair – This skin type generally burns quickly. Tanning is rare or not common. It is recommended that sunscreen products for this skin type contain SPF 20 to 30.

Skin Type – Fair – This skin type almost always burns easily. Tanning can occur sometimes, but not much. It is recommended that sunscreen products for this skin type contain SPF 12 to 20.

Skin Type – Light – This skin type burns in the moderate range. Tanning is normally gradual, yielding a light brown shade. It is recommended that sunscreen products for this skin type contain SPF 8 to 12.

Skin Type – Medium – This skin type burns infrequently. Tanning happens much of the time, yielding a moderate brown shade. It is recommended that sunscreen products for this skin type contain SPF 4 to 8.

Skin Type – Dark – This skin type rarely burns. Tanning occurs big time, yielding a dark brown shade. It is recommended that sunscreen products for this skin type contain SPF 2 to 4.

Skin Type – Other - This skin type includes people with moles or whose close blood-relatives have a history of moles, people with skin cancer in their family histories, including melanoma, and people with very fair skin and hair. Use the highest SPF available combined with light to moderate sun exposure, as this is a high-risk category for health damage from too much UV exposure.

Note that regardless of skin type, before going out into the sun’s rays, each person should have the most suitable sunscreen product possible applied beforehand for protection against UV rays. The product should be spread fairly thick and in a uniform manner for the best possible UV protection over all areas of the skin that will be exposed to the UV rays.

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