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Ideal protection is not offered by sunscreen alone: Use sunscreen with a comprehensive shielding effect against UVA and UVB, both for facial and body use. Average whole body application is equal to one shotglass of product. Add primary antioxidants, once daily. Continue treatment without interruption over the long term.
Antioxidants Studies show that optimal sunscreen use only prevents up to half the damage which produces photoaging.
Antioxidants may be used in conjunction with sunscreens to increase photoprotection.
Antioxidants are substances that act as scavengers of oxygen-free radicals, which are the unstable particles in the skin that can damage skin cells and cause aging.
Naturally occurring antioxidants in the skin are reduced when exposed to light (particularly, ultraviolet light) and due to other environmental and lifestyle factors (most notably pollution, including smoking) and must be replaced.
The majority of topical antioxidants are applied underneath sunscreen in the morning.
Some antioxidants may also be applied as moisturizers, or underneath moisturizers, in the evening after the application of retinoids or alpha-hydroxy acids.
No one antioxidant is best — combination antioxidant products and some usage rotation are preferred.
Sunblock protects your skin by absorbing and/or reflecting radiation.
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UV: Exposure to UV rays is the number one cause of photoaging and other skin damage such as skin cancer. Protecting the skin from UV light is essential to the prevention of photoaging and skin cancers. See UVA and UVB below.
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UVA: UVA rays make up 95% of UV radiation that reaches the earth. Unlike UVB rays, UVA rays are present in abundant amounts year round and can penetrate through clouds and glass. The visible damaging effects of UVA only appear after years of sun exposure. The harmfulness of UVA has been more precisely demonstrated at cellular and molecular levels. UVA has an ability to penetrate deep into the dermal layers to attack the molecules of the skin's matrix, resulting in premature and permanent aging of the skin, outwardly visible as fine lines, wrinkles, loss of elasticity, and hyperpigmentation.
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UVB: UVB rays make up approximately 5% of UV radiation that reaches the earth and can penetrate the epidermis to cause visible burning. UVB's potential to permanently damage skin may be mitigated in certain circumstances by cloud coverage, seasonality, or minimising time spent outdoors.
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The American Association of Dermatology (AAD) recommends that a "broad spectrum" sunblock with an SPF of at least 15 that is applied daily to all sun exposed areas, then reapplied every two hours. However, in some recent clinical trials sunblocks with SPF 30 provided significantly better protection than sunblocks with SPF15.
So while the best sunblock varies from individual to individual, we recommend a "broad spectrum" sunblock with UVA and UVB protection, a SPF rating of at least 30, in a form that is gentle enough for daily use.
Why is "broad spectrum" so important?
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UVB rays cause suntanning and sunburn, damage to DNA and skin cancer.
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UVA rays penetrate more deeply into the skin and is cumulative over time, causing photo-aging. Skin becomes leathery, dry, wrinkled with a loss of elasticity and decrease in collagen fibers. Precancerous and cancerous cells can form. UVA enhances the harmful effects of UVB.
Active ingredients of sunblock vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and can be divided into chemical versus physical agents.
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Chemical sunblocks work by absorbing the energy of UV radiation before it affects your skin.
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Physical sunblocks reflect or scatter UV radiation before it reaches your skin. Some sunblocks combine both chemical and physical sunblocks.
The two types of physical sunblocks that are available are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Both provide broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection and are gentle enough for everyday use. Because these are physical blocking agents and not chemicals, they are especially useful for individuals with sensitive skin, as they rarely cause skin irritation.
Most chemical sunblocks are composed of several active ingredients. This is because no single chemical ingredient blocks the entire UV spectrum (unlike physical sunblocks). Instead, most chemicals only block a narrow region of the UV spectrum. Therefore, by combining several chemicals,with each one blocking a different region of UV light, one can produce a sunblock that provides broad spectrum protection. The majority of chemical agents used in sunblock work in the UVB region. Only a few chemicals block the UVA region. Since UVA can also cause long-term skin injury, dermatologists routinely recommend sunblocks that contain either a physical blocking agent (e.g. titanium dioxide or zinc oxide) or Avobenzone (also known as Parsol 1789).
Application: All sunscreens should be applied 15-20 minutes before sun exposure to allow a protective film to develop, then reapplied after water contact and sweating. Some sunblocks can lose effectiveness after two hours, so reapply frequently.
Allergic reactions: The most common occur with sunscreens that contain PABA-based chemicals. If you develop a rash to a sunblock, check the label to see if PABA is an ingredient. If so, consider avoiding sunblocks that contains this in the future. Alternatively, try a titanium dioxide or zinc oxide containing sunblock as they rarely cause skin irritation and provide very good broad spectrum UV protection.
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Aminobenzoic acid |
UV-B |
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Avobenzone |
UV-A |
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Cinoxate
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UV-B
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Dioxybenzone
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UV-B, UV-A
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Homosalate
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UV-B
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Menthyl anthranilate |
UV-A |
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Octocrylene |
UV-B |
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Octyl methoxycinnamate |
UV-B
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Octisalate |
UV-B
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Oxybenzone |
UV-B, UV-A
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Padimate O |
UV-B
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Phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid
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UV-B
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Sulisobenzone |
UV-B, UV-A
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Titanium dioxide |
UV-A/B, broad spectrum
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Trolamine salicylate |
UV-B
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Zinc oxide |
UV-A/B, broad spectrum
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