Everyone regardless of age, gender or race. Sunscreen use can help prevent skin damage by protecting you from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.

Ideally everyday, indoors & outdoors. The sun emits harmful UV rays year-round. Even on cloudy days, up to 80 percent of the sun’s harmful UV rays can penetrate your skin. Snow, sand and water increase the need for sunscreen because they reflect the sun’s rays.

To obtain the intended protection, you must follow the manufacturers’ instructions for use and application. Therefore, always apply the amount of sunscreen indicated on the label and re-apply frequently. Remember the easily forgotten areas: tops of ears, behind knees, ankles, feet and eyelids. Regardless of which sunscreen you choose, be sure to apply it generously to achieve the UV protection indicated on the product label.

Sunscreen should be re-applied frequently to maintain protection, especially after perspiring, swimming or towelling. You should always follow the manufacturers’ instructions for use, application and re-application. The frequency of re-application should correspond to how and when the product is being used, for example, when exposed to direct sunlight, on the beach, when swimming, doing sports, etc.

Using sunscreen may decrease your skin’s production of vitamin D. i) If you are concerned that you are not getting enough vitamin D, you should discuss your options for getting vitamin D with your doctor. ii) Many people can get the vitamin D they need from foods and/or vitamin supplements. This approach gives you the vitamin D you need without increasing your risk for skin cancer.

Sunscreen products should not be used as a means to stay in the sun for prolonged periods. Overexposure to the sun can be harmful and the use of sunscreen is just one part of ‘sun safe’ behaviour.

‘SPF’ stands for ‘Sun Protection Factor’ which is the ratio of minimum erythemal dose on skin protected by a sunscreen product to the minimum erythemal dose on the same unprotected skin. SPF is more accurately the sun burn protection factor, as it primarily shows the level of protection against UVB, not the protection against UVA. SPFs are rated on a scale of 10-50+ based on the level of protection they offer. Sun protection products are generally divided into the following four protection classes, termed as Low, Moderate, High and Very High, based on the level of their SPF label claims.

The higher the number, the greater the protection. But do not think of the SPF number as a mathematical formula indicating multiples of the amount of time you could stay out in the sun without sunscreen before you burn. Choose an SPF that suits your skin. A sunscreen that offers the following helps to protect your skin from sunburn, early skin aging and skin cancer:
· Broad-spectrum protection (protects against UVA and UVB rays)
· SPF 10 or higher
· UVA PF (PA +/ ++/ +++/ ++++) ·Water resistance (40 minutes/ 80 minutes)

However, sunscreen alone cannot fully protect you. In addition to wearing sunscreen, dermatologists recommend taking the following steps to protect your skin:
· Seek shade when appropriate, remembering that the sun’s rays are strongest between 11 am - 3 pm.
· Dress to protect yourself from the sun by wearing loose-fitting clothing and a wide brimmed hat with a good pair of sunglasses, when possible.
· Use extra caution near water, snow and sand as they reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn.
· Get vitamin D safely through a healthy diet that may include vitamin supplements.
· Keep babies and young children out of direct sunlight.
· Avoid tanning beds.

Ultra Violet (UV) radiation from the sun is transmitted in three wavelengths – UVA (wavelength range from 320 nm to 400 nm), UVB (290 nm to 320 nm) and UVC (100 to 280 nm). UVC does not penetrate the earth’s atmosphere, so we only need to protect against UVA and UVB.

UVA irradiation is associated with skin aging. UVA affects the elastin in the skin and leads to wrinkles and sun-induced skin aging (for example coarse wrinkles, leathery skin and brown pigmentation), as well as skin cancer. UVA can penetrate window glass and penetrates the skin more deeply than UVB. UVA protection in a sunscreen will help defend the skin against photo aging and potentially skin cancer.

UVB rays are mostly responsible for sunburns and have strong links to malignant melanoma and basal cell carcinoma risk (types of skin cancer)."

"PA stands for 'Protection Grade of UVA'. It is a rating system that indicates the level of protection a sunscreen offers against UVA (Ultraviolet A) radiation, which can contribute to skin aging, wrinkling, and other long-term skin damage. The PA rating is often accompanied by plus signs (+). More plus signs indicate higher levels of UVA protection. For example: PA+ indicates some UVA protection. PA++ provides moderate UVA protection. PA+++ or PA++++ offers high to very high UVA protection. When choosing a sunscreen, it's important to consider both UVA and UVB protection. UVA protection helps prevent premature aging and skin damage, while UVB protection shields against sunburn. Therefore, in addition to looking for a high SPF (Sun Protection Factor) for UVB protection, you should also check the PA rating to ensure adequate UVA protection."

When compared to UVB, UVA is less dangerous but its penetration is deeper than UVB and sometimes its higher dose induces photo toxicity with or without exogenous sensitizers present in the blood. Thus, to avoid a phototoxic dose of UVA, a protectant should be applied on the skin. Therefore, UVA PF labelling is important.

When you buy sunscreen containing UVA protection, you may notice a PA+/ ++/ +++/ ++++ rating on the packaging. The PA ranging from + to ++++ indicates the level of protection from UVA radiation.

The dark pigment that gives the skin its natural colour is called melanin. Melanin is made in the skin by pigment cells called melanocytes. After our skin has been exposed to sunlight the melanocytes produce more melanin in attempt to absorb further UV radiation, and so the skin becomes darker. A tan is actually a sign that the skin has been damaged and is trying to protect itself.

No, you can still get a tan while wearing a high factor SPF. Wearing sunscreen will lower your risk of skin damage.

Organic filters absorb harmful UV radiation and convert to give this energy back out as infrared. These are sometimes known as ‘absorbers’, or ‘chemical’ sunscreens. Note that organic filters does not mean ‘organic’ in the environmental sense. Inorganic filters (also known as ‘physical’, ‘natural’, ‘reflective’, ‘zinc’) contain titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, which reflect UV radiation away from the skin. It can be helpful to think of organic filters as sponges, mopping up the UV radiation, and inorganic filters as mirrors, bouncing UV radiation straight off the skin.

Always read the label and choose the most appropriate product based on your skin sensitivity and the conditions under which you will be exposed to the sun. UV ray intensity will depend on the time of day, your geographical location and the weather.