So you walk into a store and you're met by a huge wall of sunscreen. SPF 15, 30, 50. With tanning oil. For kids. From well known brands to small ones. But what does the SPF mean on the bottle? And where does UPF come in? And UVA? And UVB?

SPF in a nutshell

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. You'll find it on all sunscreens. It indicates how well the sunscreen protects you from UVB rays. UVB causes sunburn and could cause skin cancer.

So SPF is an indication for how well it protects against UVB. But what about UVA? UVA is the radiation that penetrates deeper into the skin and causes your skin to age more quickly. If a bottle of sunscreen has SPF on it, it doesn't automatically protect against UVA. When choosing your sunscreen, always make sure it explicitly says it protects against UVA and UVB.

SPF is most commonly found as SPF 15, SPF 30, SPF 50, or SPF50+. You need to choose the SPF that matches your type of skin. There is a formula you can use as an indicator. Let's say you normally burn your unprotected skin in 10 minutes. With an SPF 30 sunscreen, you would burn after: 10 * 30 = 300 minutes.

But I always say: Better safe than sorry. Get a high SPF, and keep yourself safe! SPF is not meant to keep you in the sun for longer than normal. And it's not just about not burning. It's about keeping the radiation at bay.

And let's repeat the most important part: SPF doesn't automatically protect against UVA. Protip: Look at the sunscreen in your cabinet and check if it protects against UVA. Otherwise find one that does.

What about PA?

PA, or Protection Grade of UVA is a system developed in Japan. You'll commonly find it on products from Asia and it indicates how well the product protects you against UVA rays. PA++++ is the highest grade.

UPF in a nutshell

SPF and UPF are two completely different things. Where SPF is found on products you put on your skin, UPF is found on clothing items. UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor. UPF measures how many of the UV rays still penetrate the piece of clothing. For example, UPF 50 means 1 out of 50 UV rays penetrate the piece of clothing. UPF 40 is considered a good rating, UPF 50+ is considered excellent. The Skin Cancer Foundation has a seal of recommendation which is only awarded to items with a UPF of 50 or higher.

Normal clothing protects you less from UV than UPF rated clothing. You'll find that many brands sell UPF clothing in the shapes of caps, hoodies, shirts, pants, and jackets.

The golden combination

All of this information reveals something. The golden combination. Pop on a pair of sunglasses, apply a good sunscreen, get dressed in your best UPF outfit, and make sure those lips are SPF protected. When you combine all these aspects, you're good to go. Enjoy the sunshine, but don't forget to find the shade!

Sources

The claims in this article are based on information from the following sources.

Note: This article is based on personal experience and general research, not medical expertise. It does not constitute medical advice. See the full disclaimer.