The sunny California weather is finally rolling in as we begin the shift from winter to spring. With the heat comes more time to be outdoors, and, not to be a killjoy, sometimes pain. One in three Americans report getting sunburnt each year, according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services. This means that roughly 110.5 million people suffer this painful skin condition every year—and that’s just in the United States. This problem may never be completely solvable, but it can certainly be reduced; sunscreen management is where the answer lies.
Different parts of your body will require different amounts of sunscreen. Unless you’re wearing a two-piece swimsuit, you probably don’t need to slather your stomach with sunscreen. Be systematic about how much you apply and where. You are most likely to get sun damage on your face and neck, according to The Huffington Post. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, it is still very important to protect your skin, even if it may be covered by a mask. Apply sunscreen to your face, then put on your mask, according to The Cleveland Clinic. In addition, use a different type of sunscreen for your face than for the rest of your body. Your lips aren’t exempt from the sun’s harmful rays, so try using a lip balm with SPF, as suggested by Cleveland Clinic. Even if you don’t suffer from sensitive skin, your face is still more sensitive than other parts of your body, such as your arms. There are sunscreens out there made with specialized ingredients that won’t irritate your face.
Now that you know what type of sunscreen to apply, exactly how much should you be using? About an ounce (around the size of a golf ball) for all of your exposed skin is the correct answer, according to NBC News).
Your skin tone is also a rather large factor to take into account when choosing the right type of and amount of sunscreen needed. It’s a subjective need that varies from person to person, so do some research on things you’ve noticed about your own skin. But the ground rule seems to be to use at least SPF 30 regardless of your skin tone, according to Healthline. Apply sunscreen around every two hours for maximum protection, says Hopkins Medicine.
Keep all of these factors in mind in order to protect your skin to the maximum level against the oncoming sunny weather.
