Which is better SPF 50 or SPF 70?
Experts say sunscreens with an SPF higher than 50 aren't worth buying. They only offer marginally better protection. They might also encourage you to stay out in the sun longer. Instead, choose an SPF between 15 and 50, apply liberally, and reapply often.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, which blocks 97% of the sun's UVB rays. The highest SPF is 100 and blocks out 99% of UVB rays.
SPF 50 blocks 98 percent of UVB rays. SPF 75 blocks between 98 and 99 percent of UVB rays.
A sunscreen's sun protection factor (SPF) is only fully effective for two hours after you put it on.
Under ideal conditions (like in a laboratory), a sunscreen with higher SPF protection and broad-spectrum coverage offers more protection against sunburn, UVA damage and DNA damage than comparable products with lower SPF values.
When used correctly, sunscreen with SPF values between 30 and 50 offers adequate sunburn protection, even for people most sensitive to sunburn. High SPF products may pose greater health risks. High SPF products require higher concentrations of sun-filtering chemicals than low SPF sunscreens do.
Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Moisturizing Sunscreen with SPF 70
“This sunscreen is a great option for people who have dry, sensitive or eczema prone skin,” Zeichner says.
Even if you're wearing SPF 100, you should be following the golden rule of reapplication—every two hours.
However, all skin types can get sun burned and suffer damage from UV rays. Therefore, dermatologists recommend that everyone use sunscreen of at least SPF 30.
Ideally, look for SPF 30 or higher. Know your skin type: If you have dry skin, choose a face sunscreen with hydrating ingredients, says Dr. Zeichner, like hyaluronic acid or ceramides. If you're oily, look for sunscreens made for acne-prone skin,which tend to have a matte finish.
Is higher SPF better or worse?
Protection isn't much better than low-SPF sunscreens
Building off of our last point, SPF 100 blocks about 99% of UVB radiation while SPF 50 blocks around 98%. Meaning that despite having twice as much SPF, it's only 1% more effective. There's not as much of a difference in protection as you'd think!
Everyone, regardless of age, gender or race, should use sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. But what's in your sunscreen may be just as important as the SPF number. While SPF 85 sounds like it offers more protection, higher SPF numbers can be misleading.
But if you're asking “does sunscreen prevent tanning at all?” The answer is no. That's because it doesn't protect you 100%. Sunscreen acts like a shield for your skin, but that doesn't mean it's impenetrable. UV rays can still reach your skin and cause a tan, even when you're wearing plenty of sunscreen.
SPF 15 blocks about 93 percent of UVB rays, but doubling up to SPF 30 blocks just 97 percent. The improvements drop off considerably from there, with SPF 50 blocking 98 percent of UVB rays and SPF 70 blocking less than 1 percent more. "Basically, it just doesn't go up tremendously," Lipner said.
Because sunscreen doesn't block all UV rays, this means you can still tan while using it, no matter what the SPF is - so you can still tan wearing SPF 50 sunscreen. The more protective alternative to sunscreen would be to wear sunblock, which is designed to block all UV rays.
In theory, sunscreen with super-high SPF should give you the best protection against damaging UV radiation. But in practice, it may not work that way. In fact, some experts say using super-high-SPF sunscreens could lead to more UV exposure — upping your risk for both burns and skin cancer.
Higher SPF sunscreens contains higher concentrations of chemical sunscreen ingredients. It is scientifically shown that chemical (organic) sunscreen ingredients can be absorbed into the skin, and when struck by UV radiation, these can become quite aggressive free radicals, increasing the risk of damage.
When it comes to a higher SPF, the higher number does allow you to stay out in the sun for a longer period of time. However, according to the FDA, there has been no sufficient data that supports that an SPF of 50+ will offer more protection.
Sunscreen will cause hyperpigmentation if it has any one of these effects. If the sunscreen you wear stresses your skin (some chemical sunscreens can do this), it may cause skin darkening. Secondly, if you use sunscreen that has hormonally-active ingredients (like oxybenzone), it can cause hormonal skin darkening.
It's much easier for people to understand the need to reapply at least every 2 hours. You should reapply every 40 or 80 minutes while swimming or sweating, depending on the product. These directions are now easily seen on the packaging.
Does higher SPF damage skin?
There are no direct adverse effects of applying a higher SPF, but it can lead to a sun protection routine that is incomplete and needing more. While a product with SPF 50 might give you better protection against UVB rays due to its photochemistry, it might have less UVA protection. Both radiations are equally harmful.
According to Yale Medicine, one way to prevent wrinkles and other symptoms of photoaging—when your skin prematurely ages due to increased sun exposure—is to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher.
Verify your sunscreen offers broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays. Aim to apply a minimum of SPF 30 every day, no matter what. The FDA warns that excessively high SPF claims give consumers a false sense of protection, so be skeptical of anything labeled over 60.
"Individuals with fair skin and hair, light-coloured eyes, freckles and moles are at highest risk of skin damage and should always use a minimum factor of 30 or 50," explains London-based consultant dermatologist Dr Justine Kluk, something Dr Mahto elaborates on.
But there's a bigger reason why you need to reapply your sunscreen every couple of hours. “Chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays and disperse them, but the active ingredients don't stay on the skin and continue doing their job,” says dermatologist Anthony Rossi.
- Best Sunscreen Overall: CeraVe Hydrating Sunscreen Body Lotion SPF 50.
- Best Face Sunscreen: EltaMD UV Clear Facial Sunscreen SPF 46.
- Best Sunscreen For Sensitive Skin: Beautycounter Countersun Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30.
- Best Mineral Sunscreen: Pipette Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50.
Let's first break down how the SPF system works: "SPF 15 guards against 93 percent of UVB rays, SPF 30 protects against 97 percent, SPF 50 is about 98 percent, and SPF 100 blocks 99 percent," Joshua Zeichner MD, a board-certified dermatologist from New York City, tells Allure.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends SPF 15 every day you leave your house and SPF 30 if you plan to be in the sun most of the day.
Evidence shows that using sunscreen every day helps slow down the skin's aging process. According to one groundbreaking study, people who use broad-spectrum sunscreen on a daily basis experience 24 percent less skin aging than those who use sunscreen only intermittently.
The most serious result of forgoing sunscreen is skin cancer, but that's not the only reason to apply it. According to the Cleveland Clinic, sunburns damage the skin cells and blood vessels, and can cause skin to look older, more wrinkled, dry, discolored, and leathery.
Can SPF reverse aging?
A new study from the Journal of Dermatologic Surgery shows that sunscreen not only protects your skin but can also reverse common signs of photo-aging, such as wrinkles and dark spots.
Rub the sunscreen thoroughly into your skin. Apply sunscreen to all bare skin. Remember your neck, face, ears, tops of your feet and legs. For hard‐to‐reach areas like your back, ask someone to help you or use a spray sunscreen.
Bottom line: Wearing a moisturizer with SPF at night won't harm you, but it isn't the best thing you could be doing for your skin.
An SPF also means that a certain percentage of skin-aging UVB rays are still allowed to penetrate the skin. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, 3% of UVB rays can enter your skin with SPF 30, and 2% with SPF 50. This is also how you can still get tan while wearing sunscreen.
Another way to look at it is in terms of percentages: SPF 60+ filters out approximately 98 percent of all incoming UVB rays. SPF 30 keeps out 97 percent and SPF 50 keeps out 98 percent.
Sunscreens with really high SPFs, such as SPF 75 or SPF 100, do not offer significantly greater protection than SPF 30 and mislead people into thinking they have more protection than they actually do. In fact, SPF30 blocks 97% of UVB rays and SPF50 blocks 98%.
Ideally, look for SPF 30 or higher. Know your skin type: If you have dry skin, choose a face sunscreen with hydrating ingredients, says Dr. Zeichner, like hyaluronic acid or ceramides. If you're oily, look for sunscreens made for acne-prone skin,which tend to have a matte finish.
SPF measures how much UVB radiation sunscreen blocks from hitting your skin. But the higher the SPF number, the less protection it offers from UVA radiation. You should be using a broad-spectrum, SPF 15 sunscreen for everyday use.
Shari Sperling, a board-certified dermatologist in New Jersey. Anything over SPF 30 increases coverage from between 97 percent to 100 percent, she explains. So, while higher is better in that sense, a higher SPF won't protect you for a longer amount of time, says Green.
For day-to-day use, pick a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. If you spend time outdoors, choose a product with SPF 60 or greater. In reality, most people do not use as much sunscreen as they should, and this higher SPF helps compensate for the reduced application.