Sunscreen and Acne - What You Don't Know May Surprise You

There are 2 types of folks that play in the sun; those that use sunscreen and those that wish they had.

We have all heard that sunscreen is a must to cut the risk of melanoma (skin cancer), premature aging and minimizing skin blemishes, but does any of us really know when, where and how sunscreen is to be used?

Be uninformed no more. This money saving and SPF savvy information I'm about to share with you regarding the meaning of ratings on sunscreen bottles will no longer be just a stinging in your eye irritation but a skin protection method that is well worth the time it takes to read this.

Let's start with those SPF numbers and claims. Browse the shelves and you will see levels rated from 15 to 30 to 80 SPF (Sun Protection Factor). This basically means, if you can naturally play in the sun for 10 minutes before starting to burn, with the SPF lotion marked with a 30, once it smeared on your body, it will extend that burn risk to 300 minutes or about 5 hours.

Now, here's the kicker-SPF only protects against UV B rays which are the rays that cause sun burn on the skin but no-one bothers to tell you that the UV A rays which are the rays that burrow deeper into the skin, and though they don't cause a topical burn, those bad "A's" create just as much risk for cancer and skin aging as the "B's". Really?When have you ever heard that?

So Rule Number 1 when buying a sunscreen is to look for a product that uses the words "broad spectrum protection." This is the code for the lotion that will shield against those dangerous A and B rays.

Next, think about it. The math I mentioned sets the burn time for a lotion's protection. To buy the more expensive 85% SPF protection is: mmm, 10 minutes in the sun before I naturally start burning, times 85 (the SPF number on the bottle) gives me 850 minutes of pure full sun pleasure! That's 14 hours of sun protection - if I don't play in the water, roll in the sand or use my towel to dry off.

My point is, the higher the SPF rating the more you will pay. It's really a money making ploy to prey on uninformed sun worshipers - stick to SPF 30 to 50 and you will be fine. Anything over that, is over kill.

The last rule of sunscreen fun is; Put it on right! The most common spots missed are:

Back of the neckShoulder bladesBridge of the noseNew bathing suit lineTop of the ears

Not only where, but how you apply the lotion is important. Slather it on. It should take a squeeze about the size of a ping-pong ball to cover the body, with a little more added to get to those neglected spots.

Put sunscreen on a minimum of 1/2 hour before going out to play. This is the time the lotion needs to seep into the lower level of skin. Once outside, depending on the activity re-apply the lotion after swimming, toweling off or sweating. For everyone else, a top off spread every 2 hours is recommended.

Since this is an article which mentions acne in the title, one might be wondering what can the sun do to acne - does it help to heal or harm to hurt? The brief answer is: It depends.

When exposing acne to sun the rules of protection do not change. And, based on the bodies chemical makeup and individual skin reactions that cause acne in the first place, the way your face will react to sunscreen is unique to the temperament of your skin.

After a few hours in the sun, it may look like your acne is getting better, but it could be the sun has reddened the uninfected skin neutralizing the redness of the acne by blending it in with the rest of your now sun burned face.

Don't mis-understand, everyone needs Vitamin D for over all health and since the sun is the best way to get this valuable vitamin, sun is a good thing, in moderation - but there is no indication that the sun will cure acne.

The only way to cure acne is to address the root cause which is, in most cases, acne is "the bodies way of telling you something is wrong." Visit Skin Treatment For Acne to find out more about your body and its relationship to acne.

I have tolerated acne throughout my life time. Starting with adolescence, through child bearing and on off and on through life...until now. In the past, the treatment has been creams and soaps mixed with patience while riding through the embarrassing outbreaks.

Turns out those topical creams were simply that, topical and temporary. The real treatment is the one that will cure acne - which I have done. It started by my understanding that acne is only a symptom for something not quite right with my body. From there I started making simple life habit changes and wow - no more acne, along with other wonderful results. To read more about my journey and the product I use to cure acne visit:

http://skintreatmentforacne.org/

View the original article here