How much sunscreen should you use and how often do you need to apply it?

Slathering on sunscreen, particularly on sunny days, is critical to maintain your pores and skin protected from injury.

However with totally different manufacturers, SPFs, formulation, and strategies of making use of, it may be troublesome to decipher simply how a lot sunscreen you should maintain protected against the solar’s sturdy rays.

Thankfully, most dermatologists advocate a number of essential sunscreen software tricks to maintain your pores and skin protected from the unrelenting glare.

In line with the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), one of the vital necessary issues to know is how a lot sunscreen you should apply.

Though most individuals are conscious that sunscreen must be reapplied, understanding how a lot to make use of is an integral a part of the equation – particularly as a result of the applying course of varies in terms of totally different formulation.

As a normal rule for lotions and lotions, the AAD recommends following the rule of 1 ounce, or sufficient sunscreen to fill a shot glass, after which adjusting from there relying in your physique measurement.

It might look like quite a bit, however a shot glass-full dollop of sunscreen is often sufficient to cowl the uncovered areas of the physique from head to toe.

Sunscreen sprays are sometimes thought-about much less of a problem than lotions, however it additionally means you should be particularly cautious when making use of to be able to get the complete SPF quantity – and to maintain from lacking a spot in your physique.

The mandatory quantity of protection for a sprig suncreen to be efficient requires at the very least six seconds of spraying in every spot – roughly 4 seconds greater than most individuals use.

These choosing spray sunscreen also needs to rub the system into the pores and skin after spraying, particularly in case you are already open air, as the tactic can lead to uneven protection and unprotected pores and skin, in response to the AAD.

With sticks, usually used for facial protection, making use of generously everywhere in the face at the very least twice is really useful – and remembering your ears and eyelids is vital.

As for the SPF and traits to search for in a sunscreen, the AAD recommends selecting a sunscreen that’s at the very least 30 SPF or larger and affords broad-spectrum safety in opposition to each UVA and UVB rays – and making use of 15 to half-hour earlier than stepping outdoors.

With regards to reapplying, the AAD advises folks to reapply their sunscreen at the very least each two hours whereas outdoors, even when it’s cloudy. In case you are swimming or sweating, it is best to reapply extra continuously, corresponding to each time you exit the pool or ocean.

And earlier than you head outdoors, make sure that your sunscreen hasn’t expired, as most formulation final about two to 3 years earlier than they must be changed.