July 05, 2022
Seeking protection for yourself and your loved ones from the intense sun rays at northern Nevada's elevated altitudes? With so many choices available, selecting the ideal sunscreen can be daunting. To guide you through this, we consulted Dr. Angela Walker, a dermatologist from Renown Medical Group, for her expert insights.Sunscreen Application
Dermatologists recommend a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30, but keep in mind that no sunscreen protects against 100 percent of UV radiation and that reapplication is necessary. “No matter the SPF, sunscreen must be applied adequately and frequently, meaning a quarter-sized amount to cover the face and neck and a full shot glass amount for the body when wearing a bathing suit,” said Walker. “Reapplication should be every 80 minutes.”Why not use a high SPF, such as 70 or 100?
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, they don’t offer significantly more protection than SPF 30 and mislead people into thinking they have a higher level of protection.
Here’s the breakdown:
- SPF 15 blocks 93 percent of UVB rays
- SPF 30 blocks 97 percent of UVB rays
- SPF 50 blocks 98 percent of UVB rays
- SPF 100 blocks 99 percent of UVB rays
