{"id":50507,"date":"2016-06-24T07:15:29","date_gmt":"2016-06-24T11:15:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=50507"},"modified":"2021-05-13T07:20:02","modified_gmt":"2021-05-13T11:20:02","slug":"worst-sunscreen-spf-mistakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/worst-sunscreen-spf-mistakes\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Ways You\u2019re Using Sunscreen All Wrong"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"10
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Still not wearing your sunscreen? Here are a few good reasons to start: Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S. It\u2019s also the most preventable, says Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology at NYU and Vice President of the Skin Care Foundation Dr. Elizabeth Hale, since regular use of sunscreen<\/a> is one of the most effective prevention strategies around. What\u2019s more: 90 percent of skin damage (aka premature skin aging) is caused by UV exposure<\/a>, says Hale. And (you guessed it) regularly wearing sunscreen is one of the best ways to stave off this wear and tear.<\/p>\n

But even if you\u2019re fully committed to wearing sunscreen, good intentions aren\u2019t enough. In order to get the most protection from that bottle, it\u2019s critical you slather right<\/em>. For those guilty of committing the 10 common sunscreen sins below, remember this: A little extra care will pay off big time in the end.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>5 Genius Apps to Monitor UV Index<\/a><\/p>\n

10 Worst Sunscreen Slip-Ups<\/strong><\/h3>\n

 1. <\/strong>You don\u2019t wear it every day<\/strong>.<\/strong>
\n<\/span>If you only think to put on sunscreen<\/a> on beach days or at pool parties, then you\u2019re not wearing it nearly often enough. \u201cMost of the sun damage we get is from cumulative incidental damage,\u201d says Hale. Walking to work (or from work to a coffee shop), driving, even sitting by a window can all add up to cumulative damage over time. Get in the habit of putting on sunscreen <\/span>every single day in order to have the best chance of staving off skin cancer and signs of aging, says Hale.<\/span><\/p>\n

“A white T-shirt only offers SPF 7. If it gets wet, that goes down to a measly SPF 3.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2. You don\u2019t wear enough.<\/strong>
\nTo be adequately covered by sunscreen, a few pats isn\u2019t going to cut it. \u201cEvery inch<\/a> of exposed skin should be covered every single day,\u201d says Hale. A good rule of thumb? If you\u2019re using a lotion-based sunscreen and the goal is to cover exposed skin all over your body, you should use approximately a shot glass\u2019 worth to give yourself a baseline coat. If you\u2019re walking to the office and just looking to cover your neck and arms, a quarter-sized dollop should do the trick. If you\u2019re using a spray, you should see an even sheen all over your skin before rubbing it in.<\/p>\n

3. You don\u2019t reapply.<\/strong>
\nNo matter how thoroughly you slather, you\u2019ll still need to put more on if you\u2019re planning to spend several hours outside. \u201cThe correct teaching is that you need to reapply sunscreen every two hours,\u201d says Hale. But if you\u2019re swimming or perspiring heavily, you should plan to reapply even more frequently. (Runners<\/a>, listen up!)<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>When It Might Be Safer to Run Indoors This Summer<\/a><\/p>\n

4. You\u2019re using the wrong SPF.<\/strong>
\nThere\u2019s a lot of conflicting information out there about which SPF<\/a> level provides the right amount of coverage. \u201cThe American Academy of Dermatology still says 15 for regular days and 30-plus for pool days,\u201d says Hale. These attitudes are starting to shift a bit, however, and Hale recommends a daily broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher. But no need to shell out for SPF 100. \u201cAbove SPF 30, there\u2019s a negligible difference,\u201d says Hale.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s great if your makeup has SPF, but it\u2019s really not enough.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

5. You don\u2019t know chemical from physical sunscreens.<\/strong>
\nFun fact: There are two broad categories for sunscreen and the type you choose will influence when and how it should be applied. Chemical sunscreens work by absorbing the sun\u2019s rays, while physical sunscreens (such as zinc and titanium oxide) work by deflecting them, says Hale. For maximum effectiveness, chemical sunscreens should be applied directly onto the skin (i.e. before applying other body products) 30 minutes before heading outside in order for them to fully absorb into the skin. Physical sunscreens, on the other hand, can be applied over other body products and are effective immediately upon application.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>What No One Tells You About Indoor Tanning<\/a><\/p>\n

6. You think your clothing\u2019s got you covered.<\/strong>
\nJust because your skin is covered by a layer of clothes doesn\u2019t necessarily mean it\u2019s protected from sun damage. \u201cUnless you\u2019re wearing sun-protective clothing, regular clothes don\u2019t really afford enough sun protection,\u201d says Hale. For example, a white T-shirt only offers SPF 7. If it gets wet, that goes down to a measly SPF 3. For best protection, always use sunscreen in conjunction with your #OOTD. (It also helps to seek out shade and avoid being outside during peak sunlight hours.)<\/p>\n

\"Sunscreen
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

7. You\u2019re a sunscreen hoarder.<\/strong>
\nGot the same bottle of sunscreen tucked away in your medicine cabinet or under your car seat since 2013? (Guilty as charged.) While it\u2019s easy to think that you don\u2019t need a new bottle until the old one is done, the reality is a little more complicated. \u201cMost sunscreens are good for up to two years,\u201d says Hale. \u201cBut if you keep it in your car or golf bag or another sweaty, hot environment then it destabilizes and the sunscreen is less effective.\u201d A good rule of thumb? If you\u2019re good about keeping sunscreen in a cool, dry place, it should keep for a year or two. But if you ever leave it exposed to the elements, replace it every season, Hale says.<\/p>\n

8. You think your makeup\u2019s SPF is sufficient.<\/strong>
\n\u201cIt\u2019s great if your makeup has SPF, but it\u2019s really not enough,\u201d says Hale. For one thing, you might not be applying it with the same amount of coverage on different areas of your face. For another, it\u2019s rarely used on the neck and shoulders. In order to ensure you\u2019re adequately protected, Hale recommends using a moisturizing product with SPF before applying makeup on top.<\/p>\n

9. You\u2019ve got OTC interference.<\/strong>
\nBoth over-the-counter and prescription body products or medications can make you more sensitive to the sun, says Hale. And that means you\u2019re more likely to burn. Two common examples are prescription doxycycline (an antibiotic prescribed for acne) and body products containing Retin-A and\/or retinol. It\u2019s important to know that these products will make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, says Hale. If you\u2019re committed to using them, be sure to compensate by using a higher SPF (at least 30 or higher) and applying sunscreen more frequently.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>5 Ingredients Lurking in Your Sunscreen<\/a><\/p>\n

10. You rely on 2-in-1 bug repellent\/sunscreens.<\/strong>
\n\u201c[Bug repellent and sunscreen] are very different and should be used very differently,\u201d says Hale. This is especially true because sunscreen needs to be applied much more frequently than bug spray. Hale recommends avoiding combination products and instead applying a base layer of sunscreen before using bug repellent.<\/p>\n

The good news: Even if you\u2019re currently committing every sunscreen mistake in the book, it\u2019s never too late to adopt better sunscreen habits. Nail them down now, and you\u2019ll protect your health for years to come.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sun’s out, guns (and buns) out. But how on point is your sunscreen game? Read this before you reach for that dusty old SPF 100 bottle. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,11],"tags":[217,84,225,90,341,370],"class_list":["post-50507","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health","category-health-hacks","tag-disease","tag-safety","tag-skin-care","tag-summer","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2healthy-aging"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50507","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50507"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50507\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50507"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50507"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50507"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}