Ultraviolet C or UVC, ultraviolet B or UVB, and ultraviolet A or UVA are the three wavelength bands which the sun's energy is divided into. This is according to Mayo clinic. UVA and UVB rays cause damage to the skin and these are the only ones that can reach the earth. When sunblock is applied to the skin, it works by scattering, reflecting, or absorbing the sun's rays.
Using a broad-array sunblock to protect the skin against UVB and UVA rays is recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology. UV protection can be offered by an inorganic compound known as zinc oxide. Majority of the time, this is included in sunblock to offer a protective block against the UV rays' harmful effects. It does not only absorb UV rays into the sunblock material, but prevents the harmful rays causing the damage of the DNA of the skin cells.
This ingredient is an effective sunblock because it is non-comedogenic, has wound healing properties, and mildly antibacterial. This is according to a clinical assistance professor of dermatology Dr. Doris J. Day. She is working at New York University Medical Center. Sunblock does not offer complete protection even if it protects against UV damage. It is highly recommended for individuals to wear sunglasses and protective clothing aside from using sunblock. Exposure to the sun should be limited between ten in the morning to four in the afternoon.
The University of Maryland Medical Center encourages this too. This is because the eighty percent of the UV protection of the sunlight occurs at these times. Taking advantage of sun tan lotion can possibly let one suffer from premature aging or skin cancer. Therefore, it is essential for one to figure out if the sun tan lotion is made up of non-hazardous substances.
Zinc oxide is an active ingredient in a lot of sunblocks, so scientists have decided to study the safety of this inorganic compound. The Environmental Protection Agency or EPA conducted a study that found out that this inorganic compound provides the best protection compared to the other products they have tested.
The Dermatology Department of the Duke University Medical Center did the same thing and compared this substance to titanium dioxide. Sun tan lotions are also made up of titanium dioxide. They have proven that zinc oxide is capable of providing exceptional protection.