Li Lijun, Department of Dermatology, Special Medical Center (formerly 306 Hospital), Strategic Support Force
Medical Science Center Liu Yan/Cui Yan Editor
Excessive sun exposure will not only cause skin aging to affect the face, but also may induce or exacerbate various light-related skin diseases, and in severe cases, even cause cancer, so it is necessary to reduce excessive sun exposure.
Nowadays, the concept of sun protection is deeply rooted in people's hearts, how to choose sunscreen products? The author combines the "Skin Sun Protection Expert Consensus (2017)" to interpret the classification of sunscreen products for everyone.
Sun protection efficacy logo
Sun protection efficacy labels include SPF and PFA values. Sun protection factor (SPF) is to evaluate the ability of sunscreen cosmetics to prevent sun erythema on the skin, and the larger the SPF value, the better the effect of sun protection erythema; UVA protection factor of UVA (PFA) is a protective indicator to evaluate the skin tanning of sunscreen cosmetics, the more PFA+, the better the tanning effect.
Types of sunscreen cosmetics
Sunscreens are substances that use the absorption, reflection or scattering of light to protect the skin from specific UV damage.
Inorganic sunscreen: also known as physical UV shielding, this substance mainly reflects and scatters sunlight to play a sunscreen role, such as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide. Physical sunscreen has a wide spectrum of sunscreen, relatively stable light, not easy to sensitize, suitable for sensitive people, the disadvantage is not easy to apply, opaque, affect the beauty.
Organic sunscreen: also known as chemical UV absorbers, these substances can selectively absorb UV rays and play a sunscreen role. Sunscreens that absorb UVB mainly include salicylates and their derivatives, cinnamates, etc.; UVA absorption includes butylmethoxydibenzoylmethane, etc.; For both can be absorbed, butylbenzone and its derivatives. Organic sunscreen is light and thin, with good transparency, but it is more unstable and has certain allergenicity, which may lead to contact sensitization and photosensitization.
Antioxidants: There is no direct absorption or reflection effect on sunlight, but when added to cosmetics, it can improve the antioxidant capacity of the skin and play an indirect role in sun protection, including vitamin C/E, β carotene, metallothionein, superoxide dismutase (SOD), anthocyanins, and plant extracts such as licorice and aloe vera.
Different types of sunscreen have their own advantages and disadvantages, in order to cover UVB and UVA at the same time, taking into account both safe and good skin use characteristics, most sunscreen cosmetics are a compound of raw materials with different mechanisms of action.
Sunscreen cosmetic dosage form
Emulsified type: is the most common type, sunscreen raw materials are easy to disperse, the product matrix is stable, it is easier to prepare high SPF value products, of which the water-in-oil type has good water resistance, and the oil-coated type has a better sense of use.
Sunscreen: Good skin adhesion, outstanding waterproof effect, but more sticky to use.
Gel type: good sense of use, loved by consumers.
Spray: Easy to use, feel refreshing, but unstable sun protection effect, poor water resistance.
Aerosol type: such as sunscreen mousse application area is large, there is no greasy feeling. The cool feeling brought by the evaporation of mousse propellant is more suitable for use in summer, and the disadvantage is that there is a risk of high-pressure gas leakage in the high summer temperature.
Solid sunscreen: mainly found in makeup such as powder, foundation, lipstick, etc., other powder raw materials such as talcum powder, mica, etc. also have a certain physical blocking effect, so such products have a better sun protection effect.
High-quality sunscreen cosmetics should be able to protect against UVA and UVB, safety and tolerance are relatively high, not easy to produce skin irritation and allergies, the product is relatively stable to light, easy to apply, good breathability.
I hope that through the explanation of this article, we can help you choose the right sunscreen products!
(The picture comes from the Internet)