Sunscreens and Day Protection Products Shielding the skin from sun exposure is probably the most important habit to benefit the skin. Cumulative sun exposure causes the majority of skin cancers and prematurely ages the skin. Most sun exposure over a lifetime is from casual sun exposure. Therefore, everyone should be instructed to use a daily sunscreen. Look for daily moisturizers that contain broad-spectrum sunscreens, which protect against both UVA and UVB light. A sun protection factor (SPF) rating of 15 or higher is considered to be adequate strength for daily use. SPF measures how long someone can be exposed to the sun without burning. For example, if someone normally burns in an hour, an SPF-2 sunscreen allows the person to stay in the sun two times as long without burning. Sunscreens with higher SPF’s are appropriate for extended outdoor exposure and for sun-sensitive individuals. Sunscreens are available in lotion, fluid, and cream forms. Lotions are suitable for combination skin, fluids for oily skin, and creams for dry skin. Night treatments are usually more intensive products designed for use at night to treat specific skin problems. These products are generally heavier than day-use products, and they theoretically contain higher levels of conditioning ingredients.
