Do You Really Need a High SPF Sunscreen?

Do You Really Need a High SPF Sunscreen?

If SPF sunscreen helps you prevent sunburn, permeating skin aging, and potentially even cancer, then it goes to logic that you should apply a high SPF.  But, there is a reason SPF 1,000 doesn’t exist and should never exist – it would not be an improvement.  While it is important to choose a safe and effective SPF for sun protection, it does not mean that you need SPF 100.  In fact, it is likely not necessary to use anything over SPF 50.

The additional protection difference between an SPF 50 or SPF 100 is, in short, negligible, as WebMD notes, “The SPF rating is a measure of the time it would take you to sunburn if you were not wearing sunscreen as opposed to the time it would take with sunscreen on. ‘SPF is not a consumer-friendly number,’ says Florida dermatologist James M. Spencer, MD. ‘It is logical for someone to think that an SPF of 30 is twice as good as an SPF of 15 and so on. But that is not how it works.’ According to Spencer, an SPF 15 product blocks about 94% of UVB rays; an SPF 30 product blocks 97% of UVB rays; and an SPF 45 product blocks about 98% of rays. ‘After that, it just gets silly,’ he says. Sunscreens with higher SPF ratings block slightly more UVB rays, but none offers 100% protection. Spencer recommends SPF 30 products to his patients.”

What is more important than the number on the bottle is that you actually use your SPF correctly which, many studies have found, people are not.  Typically, people do not actually apply enough SPF to their skin.  It is important to follow the label’s instructions and use a good amount of SPF to thoroughly coat the skin.  While a sunscreen with a higher SPF may not actually be worse for you than any other sunscreen, it could give you false confidence and make you stay in the sun longer than you should, potentially leading to sun damage or other problems.  Stick to a sunscreen with an SPF of 30-50, use the right amount, reapply, and don’t spend too much time in the sun and you will have more than enough sun protection.