The rush to get into the water when going to the beach or the pool ends up losing part of the protection that sun cream offers us. There are people who apply it just before getting wet without taking into account that if the product packaging does not say that it is waterproof or water resistant, the effort has been in vain.
The first thing is to point out the difference between the two types. Water resistant products are those that retain 70% of their photoprotective power after 40 minutes of immersion. For their part, waterproofs maintain photoprotection after 80 minutes of bathing.
Expert voices in the field stress the importance of renewing sun protection every two hours if exposure to the sun is maintained. If we also use the waterproof cream, Marta Alcalde, member of Dermofarmàcia i Productes Sanitaris of the Col legi de Pharmacèutics of Barcelona (COFB), stresses that it is essential to renew it as well because even if it lasts, it will decrease in factor as we bathe.
On the creams that ensure that they are resistant to sweat, Alcalde clarifies that their effectiveness has not been fully demonstrated. Those that are waterproof and water resistant are indeed "reliable" and have been tested in laboratories. Even so, factors such as whether the towel is used, which also drags the cream, must be taken into account.
Mayor emphasizes that if a person plans to spend a long time underwater, it is better to use sunscreens that are resistant. “There are those who think that you don't burn yourself in the water, but the radiation passes through it even though there is a part that is reflected on the surface,” he explains. That is why he emphasizes that using sun creams that are waterproof is better protected.
There are also some protectors called 'wet skin' and they are used when the skin is wet after getting out of the water. So they are quite useful for people who want to apply the cream as soon as they get out of the bath.
In recent years, the environmental impact of the residues of the sun creams that we use in nature has been discussed and studied. There are reports that the protectors are very harmful to coral reefs. In this sense, Mayor says that products sold in the European Union are subject to regulations that take this aspect into account. Then, there are parts of the world that are even more restrictive about what kind of creams can be used on their beaches.
Given the wide variety of products on offer, Alcalde recommends consulting the reference pharmacist when choosing a product. He adds that there are some creams that are hypoallergenic and may be ideal for children or people with some type of disease.
An important aspect to keep in mind is that you have to know how to apply sunscreen well for more complete protection. In the first place, explains Alcalde, you have to apply it half an hour before leaving home. In addition to allowing the product to be well absorbed, it can be spread without rushing at the last minute, which can cause it not to be distributed to all parts of the body exposed to the sun. And it is sure that more than one has ended up with the ears or parts of the hands and feet more burned than the rest of the areas.
If exposure to the sun is prolonged, you have to lie down again every two hours and you have to do it in quantity. As people usually apply less amount than expected, factor 50 creams are generally the most indicated.
