5 Myths about Sunscreens

1. “I don’t need a sunscreen coz I spend my day indoors”

FALSE! Exposing your skin to natural sunlight if you are sitting close to a window, will lead to sun damage. Ultraviolet A (UVA) passes through glass and increases your risk of skin cancer. Studies have shown that chronic UVA exposure may accelerate skin aging by fic to seven years.

The IMAGE daily moisturizers contain broad-spectrum UVA and UVB filters with the added benefit of the new Digital Ageing Defence, which protects your skin from the blue rays from electronic devices.

2. “As long as I don’t burn, it’s healthy to get a little color. A base tan helps prevent sunburn.”

FALSE! Ultraviolet light is a proven human carcinogen and can lead to skin cancer on unprotected areas of your body. Tanning causes DNA damage and affects the immune system resulting in unwanted pigmentation, breakdown in collagen . This is the skin’s natural defence system against UV radiation.

3. “If I wear a higher SPF, I can stay in the sun longer.”

FALSE! SPF (Sun Protection Factor) is a measure of a sunscreen’s ability to prevent UVB rays from damaging the skin. For example, if it takes 10 minutes for your unprotected skin to start turning red, using an SPF 15 sunscreen prevents reddening 15 times longer.

Unfortunately, this applies to a controlled laboratory environment, and in reality, most people don’t apply sunscreen thickly enough or often enough. This means your actual protection is much less

Be sure to apply a high SPF at least every 2 hours.

IMAGE Skincare PREVENTION+ daily moisturizers have an SPF 30 to SPF 50, with added DNA protection, antioxidants and hydration.

4. “Sunscreen prevents the body from getting necessary vitamin D.”

Vitamin D is essential for a happy, healthy body – it supports our immune system and can help prevent diseases like osteoporosis. Recent studies have shown that sunscreens do not prevent Vitamin D production. Your best source of Vitamin D is through supplements or a good diet of fatty fish, egg yolks, cheese and many more.

5. “Some sunscreen ingredients are harmful.”

There are two main types of active sunscreen ingredients: chemical and physical. Chemical ingredients such as avobenzone and oxybenzone, work by absorbing UV rays and reducing their penetration into the skin. Physical ingredients, such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, are naturally occurring inorganic (mineral) ingredients that stay on top of the skin and deflect  UV rays. Find an IMAGE Skincare sunscreen best suited to your skin type.