subject: Are You Using Enough Sun Protection for Your Skin Type? [print this page] Are You Using Enough Sun Protection for Your Skin Type?
Those who have the most beautiful skin are those people that barely get exposed to the sun. But formost, it is almost impossible to evade the damaging rays of the sun. Even if you go out on a cloudyday and travel in a tinted car, you're still affected by the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. UV-A rayspenetrate the collagen elastic fibers in the middle layer of the skin and these ends in thoseunattractive wrinkles. UV-B rays, on the other hand, strike the upper layer of the skin and aresupposed to be the dreadful UV rays because they are the ones that cause sunburn and skin cancer.
The fairer your skin, the more protection you need. You must choose your sunblock's Sun ProtectorFactor (SPF) level based on your skin type.
Skin Type 1 Those who have skin type 1 have red or blond hair with blue eyes and some freckles. Persons with skin type 1 have to use sunblocks with a sun protection factor of 15 and above. SPF 15protects you from 93 percent of the UV-B and 50 percent of the UV-A. This means that the higher theSPF is, more and more of the UV-A is obstructed.
Skin Type 2 If you have blond hair and white skin with no freckles, but your eyes are either blue orhazel brown, you belong to skin type 2. Similar to skin type 1, you need a sunblock with an SPF of atleast 15.
Skin Type 3 If you have white skin with brown or black hair and your eyes are brown, you are fallunder skin type 3. You may use sunblock with an SPF ranging from 10 to 15.
Skin Type 4 People from the Mediterranean as well as Greeks, Hispanics, and Orientals belong to skintype 4 which is categorized by dark brown hair, dark eyes, and white to light brown skin. Skin type 4can go for a lower SPF of 3 to 10.
Skin Type 5 American Indians, East Indians, Filipinos and Hispanics usually are considered skin type5, and their features consist of black hair, brown to black eyes and brown skin. A sunblock with SPF3 to 10 is sufficient.
Skin Type 6 African and African-Americans who have black hair, eyes and skin are of skin type 6. Like skin types 4 and 5, a sunblock with SPF ranging from 3 to 10 is still required.
