#Ewg sunscreen skin#
#Ewg sunscreen free#

Some sunscreens indicate the level of UVA protection using stars, with 5 star being good and 1 star bad.

#Ewg sunscreen skin#

UVA has long been known to cause ageing of the skin, but it’s only recently been discovered as a contributing cause of skin cancer. UVB causes sunburn and increases the risk of skin cancer. We only need to protect ourselves from UVA and UVB, as UVC can not penetrate the earth’s atmosphere. UV sun radiation is transmitted in three wavelengths – UVA, UVB and UVC. UV stands for Ultra Violet, and refers to the light radiation emitted by the sun. SPF is primarily concerned with blocking UVB. In short, you want a sunscreen that will protect you from both UVB and UVA. For example, SPF50+ filters out 98% of UVB radiation compared to 96.7% blocked by SPF30+, according to Cancer Council Australia. Any lower than SPF15 you won’t be getting effective protection, any higher than 50 offers very little in terms of extra protection. You should choose a sunscreen with between SPF15 and SPF50. How well you apply the sunscreen in the first place also affects the effectiveness. For example, swimming, sweating, any abrasion from clothes or a towel will all reduce the amount of protection, as they remove some of the sunscreen. It’s not as simple as that unfortunately, as many other factors besides the SPF have an affect. So if you burn after ten minutes in the sun with no protection, SPF15 theoretically gives you 2.5 hours protection before you burn. Roughly speaking, if you have a SPF15 cream, it will give you 15 times the protection of having no cream. It’s an indication of the level of protection against the sun’s effects. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and is the big number on your sunscreen bottle.

slide – slide on some wrap-around sunglasses.

Australia’s Cancer Council recommend the 5 S’s: The Aussies have a lot of experience with skin cancer and sun protection. But avoiding sun exposure is better, and if you do need to go out in the sun cover up and wear sunglasses. To save you reading all the techy science jargon, the summary is: yes, sunscreen can help prevent skin cancer. A study published in Nature (a science journal) stated that sunscreen ‘only provided partial protection’. The Guardian have asked the same question, and the answers are by no means conclusive. Seems like a silly question, but reputable media sources e.g. If you want to be better informed, read on.

If you don’t have the time to read this guide, this advice will help you choose a good sunscreen for surfing. The best type of sunscreen for surfers is very water resistant, gives UVA and UVB protection, and ideally contains non-nano zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. Here’s the results: What’s the best sunscreen for surfers? I’ve been doing lots of research and trying out different products to find the best sunscreen for surfers.

#Ewg sunscreen free#

Wear sunscreenImage source: Paul Prescott If you want a sunscreen that doesn’t sting your eyes, is free from harmful ingredients and helps prevent skin cancer – read this guide.