It is well known that exposing your skin to UVA and UVB radiations would finally damage your skin in different ways: erythema, pigmentation, premature aging, cancer,etc. It is also well known exposing our skin and body to the sun is essential in the bones structure and the synthesis of Vitamin D. Moreover, recently scientists discovered sun exposure is an anti-depressive factor. So what should we do? Probably best option is to lay down in the sun but very carefully, using sun screens as much as we can in order to keep our skin and body away from sun radiations.

Even if nowadays we have so many products available, especially developed (like the manufacturers say) to protect the skin from sun damage, are these products really effective? And, if Yes, do we have the knowledge to choose the right one?

At any corner store we can find full range of sun-related products, but what shall we choose? Usually, beside trying to match an ideal SPF, most of us are totally uninformed about what a sun screen must contains.

• Your skin type: Beside choosing the right SPF, you must look for Oil-Free label if you have acne-prone skin.

• UVA and UVB?
  Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is part of sun radiations and, when reaching the earth's surface is made up of two types of rays: Ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB).
  Differences between UVA and UVB are, on one hand, that UVB radiations have more energy then UVA and so are directly absorbed by cellular constituents (nucleic acids, proteins etc.) and, on the other hand, UVA radiations penetrate easily the epidermis, causing sunburns and acting indirectly over the cellular constituents.
  To be sure you are protected against both UVA and UVB, look for a product labeled "Broad-spectrum protection".

• If you are allergic to various compounds of sunscreens: Look for PABA-free (para-aminobenzoic acid) label if you are allergic to it, most sunscreens use it. Also, if your skin is allergic, look for non-chemical sun blocks that contains talc, zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.

• To choose the right SPF (sun protection factor) SPF measures the time a sunscreen protects against skin burning compared to the time the skin burns without protection. So, if your skin is burned without protection in about 15 minutes and you intend to stay in the sun for about 5 hours (300 minutes), you must choose a SPF=300/15=20. Nevertheless, it is reccommended that a sunscreen to have at least SPF 15.

• Waterproof or Water-resistant? Waterproof means that, using such a product, you are protected for about 80-90 minutes, even while swimming. Water-resistant products will protect you from sun rays only 40 minutes while swimming and almost the same time not swimming.

• Gel, cream or lotion? This is not important once you choose the right product, it is only a personal preference.

Anyway, keep in account that dermatologists advice to not expose to the sun between 11.00 and 16.00, when the sun radiations are more powerful and can seriously damage the skin and eyes.