Introduction:

According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and May 28 is National Sunscreen Day, by the early 20-century sunscreen started to manufacture and by the mid-1970s that sunscreens gained a degree of consumer acceptance, which help and prevent a variety of dermatological conditions.

How to have optimal sun protection

To have good sunscreen:

Broad-spectrum sunscreen= UVA + UVB protection

Water resistance = maintenance of SPF after 40 or 80 minutes in water.

SPF ≥ 15 or 30 recommended.

Re-apply1-2 hours during outdoor activates

Other measures:

Staying in the shade especially from 10 AM – 2 PM

Wide brim hats

Sunglasses

Protective clothing

Types of sunscreens: Chemical	Physical
works like a sponge on the surface of your skin, absorbing the sun’s rays.	works like a shield on the surface of your skin, deflecting the sun’s rays.
Optimal if you have sensitive skin	Easier to rub in the skin without leaving residue
Example: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide	oxybenzone, avobenzone, and ecamsule

Concentrations as are utilized in SPF testing is: 2 mg/cm2 to achieve 2 mg/cm2 of density:

1 teaspoon of sunscreen to the face/head/neck

1 teaspoon to each upper extremity

2 teaspoons to the front and back torso

2 teaspoons to each lower extremity

Benefits of sunscreen:

Reduce the onset of Photoaging

Photo immune Suppression

Non-melanoma Skin cancer

Photosensitivity Disorders

Written by: Abdullah Nasser Al-Omair, Dermatology Resident

Reference: UpToDate