Summer is a time of increased outdoor activity and sun exposure. When going to the beach, always remember to bring sunscreen. This is an obvious piece of beach equipment. But do you remember to protect yourself from the sun when you play sports? Jogging, cycling or rollerblading, trekking… All outdoor sports require us to have photoprotection.

Recently, the story of a client who was met by one of the regional supervisors was told in our brand’s office. An athletic woman advised a beautician about a sunburn cream. She burned her shoulders while playing tennis. Without hesitation, the beautician recommended S.O.S. For the future, she recommendedę the City SUN series as a preventive measure Then an interesting statement was made. The client did not apply sunscreen before playing tennis. Why? Because, after all, the face sweats, so all the cream will run off anyway. Of course, this goes without saying: sweat on the face appears in the summer during sports. However, it is not true that then we have no way to protect the skin.

Sunscreens and SPF

To choose the right sunscreen, you must first understand what the sunscreen does. It’s not at all that a strong sunscreen prevents you from getting a tan!

Every day the skin is exposed to UVA and UVB radiation. UVA waves are always equally strong, regardless of the season and weather. They are responsible for the instant tan. They do not cause sunburn, but they penetrate deep into the skin. They can be very damaging to cellular DNA. UVB radiation, on the other hand, this type of wavelength, which provides us with a more permanent delayed tan. UVB can cause epidermal burns and skin cell damage.

So we need a sunscreen that protects our skin from at least two types of radiation. Why “at least”? Because in addition to UVA and UVB, we are also exposed to blue light. But about that another time.

What is SPF

On the packaging of each sunscreen you will find a mysterious SPF designation with an accompanying number. We say we use “fifty” or “thirty.” But what does it actually mean?

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. This is an international designation for the level of UVB protection. Why against UVB? Because, as we have already mentioned, it is this type of radiation that is responsible for burns and erythema. The SPF factor tells us how much longer we can expose our skin to the sun, before redness appears. So our individual circumstances are of great importance. We already explain. In the sun, your skin without sunscreen blushes after 10 minutes? In this case, after applying SPF 30 sunscreen, erythema will appear after about. 10 x 30 minutes, or approx. 5 hours.

But beware! This is just a theory. In practice, we apply less cream to the skin than was used to calculate the SPF power. In addition, the cream rubs off on the body, especially if you play sports. Therefore, it is very important to reapply sunscreen multiple times a day. Apply the cosmetic every 2-3 hours, and additionally always after getting out of the water.

Chemical and mineral (physical) filters

When reviewing the sunscreens available on the market, an important question arises. Which filters are better: physical or chemical? The Internet offers many opinions on both types of filters. Both types have both supporters and opponents. The truth is that the choice is individual. To make one, it is necessary to have a good understanding of what the differences are.

Mineral filters reflect the sun’s rays. They act as an invisible screen that limits the access of radiation to the skin. A cosmetic with a physical filter provides a mask to protect the skin from the sun.

Chemical filters, on the other hand, absorb UV radiation without allowing it to damage the skin. They are called chemical because they react with radiation. Here we point out – it is not in any way dangerous or harmful to the user. Products with chemical filters achieve the highest possible sun protection.

Sunscreens in sports – what to look out for?

The basic, most important information for an athlete choosing a sunscreen is its durability. Chemical filters definitely lead the way in this category. After application, the cream is quickly absorbed. Even when your face gets sweaty, the protection continues to work. Of course, the application must be repeated regardless of the type of filter. However, chemical filters are much more resistant to external factors (sweat, water or wiping) than mineral filters.

What else is important? Mineral filters tend to have a heavier consistency due to their mode of action. This can contribute to the athlete’s discomfort.

#dottoreadvises

City SUN SPF50+ – a chemical sunscreen with the highest possible sun protection. It has a moisturizing effect, is lightweight, and is quickly absorbed. It effectively protects against sunburn. It has another added value – it protects against blue light emitted by monitors of electronic devices. City SUN BODY SPF30 – new to the City series. A body lotion that provides UVA and UVB protection. Equally lightweight as its predecessor designed to protect the face. It absorbs quickly and does not whiten the skin. Also ideal for athletes!