Since I got that one pre-cancerous mole removed a few years ago, I’ve been a total freak about sunscreen. I never leave the house without it, especially on my face! I usually go with an SPF 15 or 30, but sometimes if I know I’m going to be out in extreme sun, I’ll amp it up to an SPF 60 or higher.

Well, apparently high-numbered sunscreens are a gimmick! According to new research from the Environmental Working Group, SPFs over 50 don’t offer more protection. Say what?!

The EWG explained, “Sunbathers often assume that they get twice as much protection from SPF 100 sunscreen as from SPF 50. In reality, the extra protection is negligible.”

High-numbered SPFs also have a poorer balance of sun-blocking chemicals. These higher SPFs focus more on UVB rays, which are the biggest cause of sunburn. However, they don’t have a good balance of chemicals to protect against UVA rays, which penetrate deeper into the skin and can cause more serious damage.

AND the biggest thing is that people mistake a higher SPF for longer protection. The EWG says, “Imbued with a false sense of security, people extend their time in the sun well past the point when users of low-SPF products head indoors. As a result, they get as many UVB-inflicted sunburns as unprotected sunbathers and are likely to absorb more damaging UVA radiation.”

Yikes! I don’t know how many times I’ve slathered on a high SPF and just been like “Whatever! I’m fine,” all day. No matter what the number, you still need to reapply your sunscreen when you’re in the sun for extended periods of time. SPF 30 actually offers the best protection when applied regularly, like it’s supposed to be.

The US Food and Drug Administration has banned words like “waterproof” from sunscreen labels because they’re really not. They’ve also insisted that SPFs over 50 are actually misleading. The EWG states that in Australia, the SPF cap is 30 because anything above that really isn’t offering more protection.

Basically, it comes down to money. Higher SPFs are more expensive! So, save your wallet and your skin by sticking with SPF 30 and applying it on the reg when you’re in the sun!

Do you use sunscreen every day? Do you use SPF over 50? Do you think it protects you more? Tell us in the comments!
 

You also shouldn’t go to the tanning bed

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

---