Should You Wear SPF Everyday?

Take the time to read much of the information available on good skincare and most of it will give the same basic advice – clean your skin twice a day, use products appropriate to your skin type, exfoliate, drink plenty of water and use an SPF.

We wholeheartedly agree. On most of it. While we appreciate the benefits of SPFs and protecting our skin against the sun’s rays, we believe there are two sides to this argument and that the need to wear sunscreen everyday is up for debate.

Sure, we absolutely agree that sunburn and skin cancer are very real and very dangerous. But a bottle of sunscreen as part of your daily routine isn't the only solution.

In this article, we’re going to give a balanced, scientific argument on the pros and cons of SPFs, and as we all know the benefits of protecting our skin from the sun, we’re going to start with the negatives to give a different perspective.

So here you go - should you wear SPF every day to protect your skin from sun damage? If so, how much sunscreen should you use? And is it true that sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours? Does your skin tone and type make a difference?

Let's find out.

Sun safety: Understanding UV Rays

To understand SPFs, we must first understand the rays of the sun.

The sun emits UV, or ultra violet, rays, of which there are two types – UVA and UVB.

UVA rays are responsible for skin aging (which can cause premature aging), UVB rays for skin tanning and burning. UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin, but both can cause changes to our cells and DNA that can result in pigmentation changes and ultimately skin cancer. UVA and UVB is present at higher levels during the summer months, and it's accepted that in the UK, these rays are at their strongest between the months or March and October.

So it’s clear that we need to protect our skin from the sun, at least during these months, when we're exposed to the sun. It's entirely possible to burn in the UK, even when it's cloudy.

Yes, the sun on our skin feels great, and lots of us feel better with a tan – but even a light tan is actually a sign of skin damage. In the majority of cases, we won’t go on to develop skin cancer, but sadly, 100,000 people in the UK alone do. The vast majority of cases of skin cancer are caused by sun exposure.

What is Sunscreen and How Does it Work?

An SPF, which stands for Sun Protection Factor, is essentially a substance that's applied to the skin that filters the sun’s rays, so that we can spend longer exposed to sunlight without burning.

The problem is, when we read the names of these chemical substances so often added to skincare as a good thing, we begin to realise that they’re possibly not the saintly life savers we’re led to believe they are. There are two main types of SPF - chemical and mineral.

The Different Types of Sun Protection

If we're spending the day in the sun, or indeed anything longer than a few minutes with our skin exposed to the sun when ultraviolet rays are strong, then we need to consider sun protection.

Sun protection can mean a sunscreen that's applied to the skin. But it can also mean physical sunscreens such as hats, sunglasses and long sleeved clothing. But, more on those later. Let's now take a look at the difference between chemical and mineral sunscreens.

Chemical Sunscreen

Most regular SPFs are made using ingredients, or chemicals, called oxybenzone, avobenzone and octinoxate.

Chemical SPFs work by absorbing UV radiation into the chemical bonds that hold the oxybenzone etc molecules in the sunscreen together. When these bonds absorb UV light, they begin to break down and release the UV radiation away from the skin in the form of heat.

Therefore, this type of sunscreen helps to protect the skin by moving UV rays away from the skin. They're the most common type of sun protection recommended by dermatologists and doctors, who will generally recommend a minimum SPF 15 product. This means you can stay in the skin 15 times longer without burning than if your skin had no protection.

In hotter weather or if you have very fair skin that burns easily, they will recommend a higher SPF, usually SPF 30 or higher.

However, these sun protection products are also available as very low SPFs, sometimes as low as SPF 2, and come in oil formulations, that in our view, won't do anything other than attract the sun to your skin.

Mineral Sunscreen

On the other hand, natural, or mineral, sunscreens contain ingredients such as naturally occurring zinc oxide and / or titanium dioxide.

These ingredients act as a physical barrier against UVA and UVB rays, and stops the rays from penetrating the skin as much.

Mineral SPF’s are often very thick, white creams that sit noticeably on the skin. (Think cricketers in the summer, with thick, white stripes of cream on their noses – these are mineral sunscreens.) However, they are now available in much easier to apply formulations, that still take a little bit more rubbing into the skin, but work just as well.

They're the SPF of choice for many who prefer to avoid the chemicals used in more mainstream sun protection products. They're also available in a range of SPF values, but tend not to be lower than SPF 15.

Are SPF’s Dangerous or Unhealthy?

SPFs, in particular, the chemical versions, come with a fairly alarming list of potential risks and problems. They might reduce the risk of skin damage caused by the sun, but they come with their own set of risk factors.

Their Chemicals Are Absorbed into the Bloodstream

The chemical UV filters and barriers are quickly absorbed into the skin and the bloodstream, and have been linked with skin allergies and irritation.

They’re Linked With Developmental Issues and Fertility Problems

Chemical SPFs are thought to have the ability to mimic our own natural hormones, resulting in ‘endocrine disruption’ that can cause developmental issues in children, fertility problems and certain cancers.

They Can Block the Pores

As mineral SPFs are often very thick and sit on the skin, they can reduce the skin’s ability to breathe, which could result in blocked pores and acne breakouts.

So whilst they’re not linked with the same negative health effects of chemical sun filters, mineral sun creams are still not ideal, especially for sensitive skin or stressed out skin types.

They Reduce Vitamin D Production

Vitamin D is known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’. It earns this name as the body produces the majority of it when sunlight hits the skin. During the winter months, when the days are short, the sun is pretty much absent from the sky and we all wear extra layers, it’s thought that many Brits become deficient in vitamin D.

There aren’t many foods that contain vitamin D; mushrooms, fish with edible bones such as whitebait and fortified cereals and dairy products all contain some vitamin D. But we can’t rely on our diet for our full complement - we need sun exposure. For this reason, the NHS recommends that we all take a vitamin D supplement during the winter months.

We need vitamin D for strong teeth and bones, as well as for our mental health. A vitamin D deficiency is linked to Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, which causes a low mood and lethargy during the winter.

There is some evidence that SPFs, particularly high factor SPFs (SPF 16 and above), can reduce the amount of vitamin D that is produced by sunlight hitting the skin. It’s for this reason, plus that of allergies and question marks over toxicity concerns, that we’ve avoided the use of SPFs in Sönd skincare.

They’re Damaging Our Oceans

It’s not only our bodies we need to be concerned about. Recent studies have shown that oxybenzone is responsible for the bleaching of coral reefs, after it enters the oceans by being washed off the bodies of swimmers and bathers. This is so worrying, that Hawaii have announced a ban on the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone as of January 2021.

The Benefits of Applying Sunscreen

SPFs help to protect our skin from the damaging rays of the sun, preventing skin ageing, sunburn and to some extent, skin cancer.

If our skin is in direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time, it can cause serious damage. So using a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 can help.

They Protect the Skin from Sunburn

If you’ve ever been sunburnt, then you’ll know how painful it is. The redness and blistering (then subsequent peeling) of sunburn is a result of literally cooking our skin. A light suntan is one thing, but sunburn is quite another.

Because sunburn isn’t just an irritating and embarrassing, holiday-ruining annoyance. Getting sunburnt can increase our risk of skin cancer in later life. UV light can damage the DNA present in our skin cells, which can lead to mutations that could lead to cancerous changes and ultimately, the development of skin cancer. Repeatedly getting sunburnt will increase this risk.

It's important to remember that even darker skin tones can get skin cancer, so people of all skin tones will still need an SPF or some other form of sun protection.

They Reduce Skin Ageing

A suntan might make us feel healthier and look good, but sun exposure is actually causing premature skin ageing and damage to the skin at the same time. Signs of ageing in the skin include changes in the texture (the formation of lines and wrinkles), a reduction in firmness, the appearance of visible blood vessels and changes in pigmentation.

Studies have found, that when compared to other skin ageing factors, such as exposure to pollution, poor diet, smoking, illness and stress, as well as the natural ageing process, exposure to UV light is responsible for 80% of visible facial ageing signs. Most definitely a stat to remember, next time you’re sunbathing!

They Protect Against Skin Cancer

Numerous episodes of sunburn throughout your life, especially from a young age, can increase your chances of developing skin cancer. It’s not the burn that can cause skin cancer, but the associated lengthy sun exposure, where the sun is absorbing damaging UV rays.

Skin cancer can be extremely serious, and can kill if not caught early, so keep an eye on any moles you may have. If you notice changes in their colour, shape or size, or they begin to itch or weep, make an appointment to see your GP.

To SPF or Not to SPF… Should You Wear Sunscreen Every Day?

So, is there a need to wear sunscreen every day? Should we use sunscreen religiously? We don’t believe there is a fixed answer to this. We believe that everyone should consider their own circumstances and make a decision that is best for them.

Being on holiday and laying in the sun all day is a different matter to having an office job where you might receive the odd five minutes of direct sunlight throughout the whole day.

In order to decide whether you want to wear a daily sunscreen, the questions you should ask yourself are:

• How much time do I spend in direct sunlight?
• How does my skin react to SPF ingredients?
• How much do I mind having potentially harmful chemicals being absorbed into my body?
• How strong is the sun in the location I am at?
• Consider your distance from the equator and time of day – the closer you are to the equator and the nearer to midday, the stronger the sun’s rays. In the UK, we’re far from the equator but the sun is still strong between 11am and 2pm during the summer months.

If you feel, given your answers, that you need the right SPF, then absolutely go ahead. If not, then you must take steps other than a broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect your skin.

Is sunscreen alone enough? Not usually. Even if you're wearing a high SPF, even SPF 50, then you should still use other precautions.

How Can I Protect My Skin from Sunburn if I Don’t Use SPF?

If we don’t wear an SPF, there are things we can do to protect our skin from the sun’s rays:

• Avoid direct exposure to the sun, especially when it’s at its strongest between 11am and 2pm
• Be aware that the sun can still burn the skin on a cloudy day
• Wear a wide brimmed hat to protect the face, scalp and hair
• Wear good quality sunglasses that have the CE Mark and European Standard EN 1836:2005 quality markers
• Wear loose fitting, long sleeved clothing to provide a physical barrier against the sun
• Stay well hydrated, especially if you’re drinking alcohol

Why Sönd Doesn't Include SPFs

Ultimately, we believe that SPFs are not good for the skin. That’s why we don’t add them to our range. People can develop a negative reaction to SPFs, so we’ve left them out, allowing more people to benefit from our products.

We leave it up to our customers to decide whether they would like to wear an SPF, pick a sunscreen that works for them and add it to their routine when they feel it’s required.

What SPF Should I Use and How Often Should I Reapply Sunscreen?

Each one of us has different skin, and different skin needs. Wearing an SPF of 25 means that it will allow you to spend 25 times longer in the sun without burning, and this time is unique to all of us. The number rating, say SPF 25, refers to the protection it gives against UVB rays. The star rating you’ll also see on sun creams gives an indication of how well it protects against UVA rays, the higher the rating (up to five stars), the higher the protection.

Many of us have been on holiday with someone who will slap on the factor 15 and not burn all afternoon, whereas we sit there nursing sore, blistered skin after only an hour or so of sunbathing under the ‘protection’ of an SPF 25.

Different skin will react to different products and ingredients in different ways. Each person needs to find an SPF which works for their skin. If you wear it, sunscreen should be applied generously and frequently, more so if you're swimming of sweating a lot.

We need to work out what our individual skin needs are and be sensible about it. If we decide not to wear an SPF, we must then take different steps to protect our skin. And of course, we can always stay out of the sun entirely and fake it instead!

Sönd skincare allows you to add an SPF if you’d like to, whilst allowing you the choice of going without. We think that’s the perfect solution.