Summer and Winter : Sun Protection Creams in 10 Steps

1. In fact, the protection is applied not directly against the sun but rather against ultraviolet rays (UV A-B), which could cause early aging, burns and skin cancer. UV-C rays, which are very harmful for our eyes and which can cause skin cancer are filtered by the ozone layer in the atmosphere.
2. For this reason, the sun cream that you will choose should have a content with wide spectrum (effective against boy UV-A and UV-B).
3. 98% of the rays coming from the sun is of UA-V type. It penetrates deeper into our skin tough its heat can not be felt. It is responsible for deformation in skin and aging signs as well as for development of skin cancer. UV-B causes heat stroke and burns over the skin. It has superficial effects causing dark stains over the skin.
4. The sun protection factor (SPF) of a sun cream should be at least 15 or above in order to provide affective protection.
5. When a sun cream is labeled with a SPF of 10 points, this means that this cream can protect your sking against sun rays for 150 minutes (15X15=150 minutes), that is 2,5 hours.  The protection time for SPF 60 is 600 minutes, that is 10 hours.  Therefore, the effectiveness of the suncream does not increase toget with SPF  but rather it is related with the frequent and appropriate use of the cream. > 15 is suffcient.
6. The sream should be applied 15 minutes before sweatign or activities such as swimming, hence enough time shuld be given for its absorbtion by skin. Though waterprrof sun cream has not yet been invented, some producers makes suc claims in produc labels. In order such a characteristic, a cream should maintain its efectiness at least 40 minutes after shower, sweating or swimming.
7. In addition to taking into account these factor, it ordr to have a better protection from the negative effects of sun rays, it is necessary use sun-protective clothing, sunglasses with UV protection, peaked hats, and shade areas should be preferred between 10 am and 4 pm.
8. Altough the effectiveness of the sun-rays contacting your skin decreases during the winter, in snowy wheather and especially in ski centers at high altitudes, the density of the rays increases by 10-20 times due to reflection. Besides, the same effect can also be felt much more in beaches and in other places close to the shore. If you have dark skin, that means you have additional natural protection of 4 SPF points.The studies show that the most important trigger of the skin cancer is UV-rays coming from the sun. It is not approrriate to apply sun cream to the bodies of babies which are less than 6 months old.
9. Solarium also produces UV-A rays just like the sun. Moreover, tanning is a sign of skin damage. Do not assume that the sun is not effective in cloudy sky, because in such conditions 80%of UV rays reach to your body.
10. Attention Please!… In some scientific circles, the protectiveness od sun creams is still regarded as controversial . The reason is that, tough the usage o sun creams is continiously increasing all over the world, there is also an increase of the incidienc eof skin cancer rather than an decrease. The possible carcinogenic characteristics of the chemicals containes in such products, which could have systematic affects by mixing into blood, urine and even to breast milk  is one of the hotly disccused subjects. It is know that cheical SPFs include some hazardous chemicals such as parabens, benzophenones, oxybenzenes, retinyl palmitate, camphor and homosalate. The toxic effects of these chemicas could have carcinogenic affects as much as UV rays coming from the sun.

If you do not grow old at an early age, I advise you do not get tanning and use sun protective creams (> 15 is enough)at apopriate frequency and  pay attention to the content odf such creams, especially in these days which are the begginning of the winter, if you are wondering around in snowy and cloudy wheather,  especially in ski centers.