If you ’re only using sunscreen on sunny day , this doctor would like to have a word with you .
For those live above the equator , summer is in full swing and that means lots of Dominicus — and the potential for sunlight damage . So if we need to stay safe , and keep our skin bet bang-up , we patently need to protect it — but using what ? And how much ? And how often ?
These are just a few of the many question that we — Raj Punjabi and Noah Michelson , the hosts ofHuffPost ’s “ Am I Doing It Wrong ? ” podcast― had forDr . Anthony Rossi , a dermatologist and surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center , when he put down by our recording studio apartment .
Rossi , who has worked with G of skin cancer patients , notice that most of us experience we need to shield our pelt , but we ’re befuddled by all of the misinformation and myths ( especially on societal medium ) about how and when to do it . To help clear up some of the confusion , he deal nine things that he would never do when it come to SPF , sunblock and sun protection .
1. Believing That An SPF Number Indicates How Long You Can Be Outside
“ SPF ” digest for “ sun trade protection ingredient , ” and an SPF issue suggest the tribute level that a topical mathematical product provides compare with wearing no sun blocker — not the number of proceedings you may spend in the sun while wearing it .
“ We say SPF 30 or above is pretty much good for sun shelter for all multitude because at that item of the SPF curve , at 30 , it moderately much levels off , ” Rossi said . “ So , an SPF 50 wo n’t give you that much more tribute [ than an SPF 30 ] . ”
2. Choosing A Sunscreen That Doesn’t Offer ‘Broad-Spectrum Protection’
You desire a sunscreen that bring home the bacon “ broad - spectrum ” protection because it guards against two types of ultraviolet radiotherapy : UVA and UVB .
“ UVB do burns and UVA contributes to aging , so we say ‘ A for ageing , B for burn ’ — that ’s how we recall for our examination , ” Rossi joke . “ Together , they can both cause skin damage . That ’s why you want to happen a broad - spectrum sunblock that covers both UVB and UVA . ”
3. Relying On The SPF In Makeup For Protection
Most makeup Cartesian product do not turn back a high enough SPF to keep you fully protected from the sun , and you also might not be wearing enough of it for that purpose .
“ I always severalize masses , put your good sunscreen on first , lease it dry and then go to town with all your mineral composition , ” Rossi say . “ That ’s just incentive . ”
4. Using Sunscreen Sprays Incorrectly Or Inadequately
“ The way sunscreen is modernize , you really need a good thin coat of it all over , ” Rossi said .
“ That ’s why we prefer the emollient and the software or the emulsion . But spray are really democratic because they ’re convenient . … It does work if you get it on the skin . If you just sprayed in the air and you take the air through it , that ’s not effective . But if you ’re really spraying it on your skin and you ’re coating your whole skin , you ’re getting good coverage . But you involve to be diligent about it . ”
5. Not Using Enough Sunscreen (And It’s Probably More Than You Think)
“ For the consistence , we say a shot glass ’s deserving [ of sunblock ] , ” Rossi say .
For the face and neck , Rossi evoke using two fingers ’ Charles Frederick Worth of sun blocker — across the length of the fingers , not just the tip . “ Maybe three , depending on how big your read/write head is , ” he added .
6. Only Wearing Sunscreen On Sunny Summer Days
“ I tell all my patient , ‘ You do n’t have to be sun - phobic ; you have to be sun - smart , ’ ” Rossi sound out . “ Just flummox into the day-by-day wont of putting on a sunscreen is going to be really helpful for you — even in the winter [ and on cloudy days ] because UVA in reality riddle through clouds . So you credibly are still get UVA vulnerability as well . ”
7. Only Wearing Sunscreen When Outside
“ the great unwashed are like , ‘ Oh , I ’m in an authority , so I do n’t have to even wear sunscreen . ’ If you ’re sitting by a windowpane every day , UVA does penetrate windowpane glass , ” Rossi said .
“ There ’s a really famousNew England Journal of Medicine articlethat showed a truck number one wood that sat next to a window , you do it , force back their truck , and it ’s just one side of the grimace is completely rumple . The other side of the face is not , and it ’s so drastic . That alone scare people to wear sunscreen . ”
8. Believing A Base Tan Will Protect The Skin From Damage
“ There ’s no such thing as a secure tan , and one of the biggest misconceptions that we have to fight on TikTok and just in the world-wide public is this estimate of a radix tangent , ” Rossi order .
“ [ It ’s the notion that ] you get one bad burn to start the summertime and then you ’re set up for the rest of the summertime , but in fact … it ’s frightful . It makes me cringe . Especially if you go to a flogging salon [ to get a base tan ] , those UV bulbs in the in the tanning bed are mainly UVA electric light . So they can still burn you because it ’s such an intense amount of energy and photons super close to you in [ a ] really short amount of time . ”
Rossi explained that UVA rays lead to an “ immediate pigment darkening , ” which is what you see after you tan .
“ You ’re like , ‘ Oh , I got this foundation tan — awesome ! ’ And you do get this darkening , so you reckon you ’re protected , ” he said . “ But actually that melanin does not do a great chore of protect you against UVB . So you end up burning when you go outside . ”
9. Forgetting To Protect Your Eyes
“ Sunglasses are really important , ” Rossi said . “ Not only do they protect the pelt around your eyes , but they protect your actual cornea from sun harm — cataract , for instance , [ can be triggered by ] ultraviolet photograph . ”
Rossi shared circumstances more with us , including the difference between chemical and strong-arm sunscreens , how long you really necessitate to apply sun protective cover products before you manoeuvre outside , and what to screw before you use a self - tanner .
heed to the full installment above orwherever you get your podcasts .
For more from Rossi , admit information about his peel tending job , travel to his websiteand follow him onInstagram .
Need some help with something you ’ve been doing legal injury ? e-mail us at AmIDoingItWrong@HuffPost.com , and we might investigate the issue in an upcoming episode . This article originally appeared onHuffPost .
