Sunscreen products have a lot of markings on their packaging . Not everyone can do it decipher , because it is a really complicated cipher, e.g. SPF , UVA, UVB, UVC, IR, HEV, PPD, UVA-PF, Bye… This a short guide will show you what is the most important thing is what information to look for and what to pay attention to! But let's start from the beginning .
What is ultraviolet (UV) radiation?
Solar radiation , also known as UV, is electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun. Unlike visible light (which allows us to distinguish between day and night), UV radiation is invisible to our eyes. UV radiation is divided into UVA, UVB and UVC based on its physical properties.
UVA radiation
This is nearly 95% of the ultraviolet radiation from the sun that penetrates the deepest into the skin, which is why it is responsible for premature skin aging. You can remember the letter A as an abbreviation for “Aging,” or skin aging.
UVB radiation
This is almost 5% of the radiation reaching us, and is responsible for, among other things, sunburn. You can remember the letter B as an abbreviation for "Burn", meaning skin burns! It is UVB that is responsible for the formation of sunburn.
UVC radiation
It practically does not reach the surface of the Earth and has no effect on our skin. It is sometimes found in industrial solutions, used as intended, it does not pose a threat, but when used without protection, it is a great threat to our skin and eyes.
What does the abbreviation “SPF” mean?
The current state of science indicates that we should protect ourselves from solar radiation ! How to do it? Colloquially, we buy "SPFs" for this purpose, we smear ourselves with "SPFs", we have cream and foundation with "SPF". With "SPF" - what?
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor , and we won't find it in the INCI composition, because it's not an ingredient in creams. Just as diopters are not an ingredient in our glasses, and blood pressure is not an ingredient in blood. SPF is a sun protection factor , which is determined for a finished cosmetic product and means the degree of protection against UVB radiation!
SPF is an “indication” of how much UVB radiation will cause redness on skin covered with this particular sunscreen product compared to unprotected skin. The higher the SPF value, the stronger the protection, but this relationship is not linear. For example, a cream with SPF 15 protects the skin from UVB radiation by 93%, and a product with SPF 30 by 97%, and with SPF 50 by 98%. In the European Union, the maximum permitted SPF value on the packaging of a cosmetic product is 50+, this results from the knowledge that no preparation is able to “absorb” 100% of UVB radiation and provide 100% UV protection, so this could give a false sense of complete protection.
What does “UVA” in a circle mean?
OK if SPF protects against UVB , so what about protection against UVA radiation? UVA protection is determined by measurement UVA-PF , which can be performed both in vitro and in vivo. Information about whether the product provides protection against UVA radiation , is the graphic marking of UVA contained in a circle. This is a way UVA protection labeling required by the European Commission and guaranteeing that the UVA protection is at least 1/3 of the value designated for the product SPF . So if the SPF is 30, the UVA protection is at least 10. This ratio of UVB to UVA protection has been accepted as required in sunscreen products. This marking should be used in products containing UV filters, such as BB creams, foundations etc … as well as those intended for sunbathing e.g. : to the beach.
PPD – what is it and Why is important in the context of sunscreen?
Sometimes on cosmetics packaging you can also find the abbreviation PPD , or Persistant Pigment Darkening, which results from testing the permanent darkening of the pigment. PPD is given numerically, so it is a more accurate indication than UVA placed in a circle, but the European Commission has omitted this method of marking. There are no regulations regarding PPD in the EU, so the justification for its use is questionable, because, for example, it may, but does not have to, correspond to the UVA-PF value.
However, if you are looking for creams marked in this way, note that with a high probability, the higher the PPD value, the greater the UVA protection, i.e. the relationship is similar to that in creams marked with UVA in a circle. With increasing SPF value, the UVA protection increases. When SPF is 15, the expected UVA protection will be at least 5, in the case of SPF 30 at least 10, and when SPF is 50, it will be at least 16.6. It is very difficult technologically to obtain such a degree of UVA and UVB protection that these values are equal. And ... you probably will not find a product on the market marked with UVA in a circle without an SPF value, it would be pointless ...
On some products in the drugstore, and especially in e-commerce, you can also see products with the PA marking. This marking is widespread in Asia, so you will most often see it on Far Eastern products. It uses a +/++ scale, etc., which refers to effectiveness, for example:
- PA+ means PPD around 2 to 4, so it corresponds to UVA in a circle with SPF around 10
- PA++ means PPD around 4 to 8, so it corresponds to UVA in a circle with SPF 12 to 20
- PA+++ means PPD around 8 to 16, so it corresponds to UVA in a circle with an SPF between 20 and 50
- PA++++ means PPD 16+, so it means UVA in a circle with SPF 50+
Can you get lost? If you're always you read on, now a few words about a wide range of action! Yes, yes sunscreen products can act narrowly and broadly. However, they are more desired these are the ones , which operate widely . Broad Spectrum is a marking that appears on few products. These two words mean that the product , with whom we have to doing provides us very broad protection in both UVA and UVB. Where does this information come from? Each radiation has its own wavelength . For UVC it is between 200 and 290 nm ( nano meters), for UVB it is from 290 to 320 nm , and for UVA it is between 320 and 400 nm. Above 400 nm the band of visible light extends (with all the colors of the rainbow) up to 800 nm, and above 800 nm we have the infrared range. The broad spectrum of action means that the filter formula has been developed to cover the widest possible area between 290 and 400 nm, that is, the one covering UVA and UVB . So it is an additional advantage !
What about the light from screens? In the visible light range, i.e. between 400 and 800 nm, there is blue-violet light , which is "hidden" under the abbreviation HEV . Studies on its effect on the skin announce that it can be harmful and accelerate the symptoms of skin aging. Thermal radiation, i.e. infrared, marked as IR , which covers the range of wavelengths above the visible range, should be treated similarly. In both cases, it is rather difficult to talk about protection against radiation, but cosmetic manufacturers often add substances to their products, especially those intended for everyday use, that reduce the effects of HEV and IR.
Now you know the Sunny Code... you can go shopping! Pre-Age NEW! | Line | UZDROVISCO STORE
