Sunscreen Awareness Month

 

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