Not all suncreens are created equal!!!

So while we are on the topic of sun protection for these summer months, I wanted to go into a little more detail about the different types of sunscreens and what they do.  For this I turned to Cindy, our wonderful and knowledgeable esthetician!

To start at the beginning we need to know what is in the sunscreens that we use. The active ingredients in a sunscreen are classified as Chemical or Physical.

Chemical sunscreen ingredients mainly work on UVB rays, which are the rays that cause a burn on the outer layer of the skin.  Chemical sunscreen ingredients also need to be applied to the skin at least 20 minutes prior to sun exposure and when the ultraviolet light penetrates the skin a chemical reaction takes place within the skin that neutralizes the uv rays.  Because the uv rays had to penetrate the skin prior to neutralization and because there was a chemical reaction within the skin that creates heat, these types of sunscreen ingredients are not normally recommended for sensitive skin.  The higher the concentration of chemical sunscreen ingredients the more irritating it will be to sensitive skin.  Examples of chemical sunscreen ingredients are Octylmethoxycinnamate, Avobenzone, Parsol 1789, Homosalate, Octylsalicylate, Octocrylene and Octinoxate; just to name a few. Years ago these were the only type of sunscreen ingredients they used in sunscreen lotions and they did not protect you much or at all from the ultraviolet rays that cause you to look older than you are.

Physical sunscreen ingredients are crushed up minerals- either Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide.  They work by forming a physical barrier on the surface of the skin which reflects the uv rays and heat away from the skin.  These ingredients mainly work on UVA rays which are the rays that breakdown our dermal layer.  The dermal layer houses our collagen, elastin and everything that produces new healthy cells.  If this becomes damaged we will see fine lines, wrinkling, capillary damage (red pigmentation), hyperpigmentation (brown pigmentation), dehydration and an increase in sensitivity levels.  Physical sunscreen ingredients are non-irritating because they do not penetrate the skin making them the optimal choice for sensitive skin; however in some formulations they may be visible on dark skin. 

So what is the best choice for all over coverage??

A broad spectrum sunscreen product is a mix of both physical and chemical sunscreen ingredients and may be the optimal choice for most people, since it will provide excellent protection from both uva and uvb rays and be less visible on dark skin as well as less irritating then an all chemical sunscreen.

That gives you a general breakdown of the active ingredients in your sunscreen but that still leaves the inactive or base ingredients in the product formulation which will need to be evaluated to ensure you have one that will enhance your skin and not cause additional problems for your skin type and condition.  Skin care can be a slippery slope with many products out there that we see advertised that are actually causing more problems for our skin than we know!  For the best advice on what products would work for your skin an esthetician is the person you want to talk to.  Give us a call at the office at 410-398-3445 if you have any questions for Cindy about your summer skin care regimen!