Beach: how long can you stay in the sun with sunscreen

Now summer is in full swing, and many of us have already visited the beach more than once. Sunscreen is an essential accessory for a seaside holiday. But how long does it last? After what time should we reapply it to the skin?

One of the most important problems of the summer, in addition to finding a sunbed on an organized beach due to crowds, is the heat and the sun, the rays of which may be pleasant to some, but, as scientists have proven, are dangerous.

For this reason, sunscreens have been discovered that prevent the “trouble”: burning and the penetration of a certain spectrum of rays that are unfavorable for the skin. Sun protection creams are called SPF* and protect the skin from UBV rays, radiation that harms and may even contribute to skin cancer.

For example, if you apply sunscreen with SPF 15 on your skin, you can stay in the sun for about 150 minutes. This of course has to do with the type of skin as well as the amount you apply to the skin. Experts recommend using a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 and applying it thoroughly to your skin every 2 hours.

*SPF (English Sun Protection Factor, in translation – “sun protection factor”) is an index that determines the level of protection from the sun, namely ultraviolet B rays (UVB). The number next to the abbreviation tells how much UV will hit the skin when using the product:

• at SPF 10, the skin will receive 1/10 of the total radiation, that is, the filter will block about 90% of UVB rays;
• SPF 15 will cut off 93% of the rays;
• the highest possible protection level of 50+ neutralizes 98-99% of UVB radiation.

The sun protection factor SPF applies only to UVB rays that cause burns, but not to UVA – the culprits of early aging and pathological changes in skin cells.

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