Sunscreen is a preventive measure to protect skin against the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The two main types of ultraviolet radiation, UVA and UVB, damage the skin, cause premature aging, and increase your risk of skin cancer. And these rays come in contact with your skin year-round, even when it’s cloudy or you’re indoors (some UV rays can penetrate through glass). But choosing a sunscreen isn’t as easy as grabbing any bottle from the shelf. Not all sun-protecting ingredients have the same benefits, risks, or instructions. I for one want as much protection for as little $$ as possible and tend to pick up bottles with SPF 50++. My research showed that those high SPF sunscreens not only over-promise protection but, according to the Food and Drug Administration, they may also overexpose consumers to UVA rays and raise their risk of cancer. In theory, applying sunscreen with an SPF of 100 would allow beachgoers to bare their skin 100 times longer before suffering a sunburn. But with high-SPF sunscreens, the theory and the reality are two different things.

Purchasing Sunscreen used to involve choosing an SPF level and deciding if we want to smell like coconut. Now the descriptors on each bottle have multiplied and there are far more decisions to make. What does it all mean?  If you walk over to the sun protection counter in Target, Walgreens, Walmart, CVS or any other major store, you will find labels with the following:

Broad Spectrum -  A sunscreen that offers protection of both UVB rays which burn skin and UVA rays that cause damage.