How to choose sunscreen

Know your skin type then pick a sunscreen with a matte finish and the right SPF to protect skin from tanning and also from the harmful effects of UV rays.

Geetika Mittal Gupta, Dermatologist and Medical Director, ISAAC, shares a few tips:

* Analyse your skin type and choose a sunscreen accordingly. If you have oily skin, opt for a gel or spray-based one. People with dry skin should choose lotions or cream-based sunscreen as it will be effective in providing both sun block and moisture.

* Choose sunscreen with a matte finish. Your face would look fresh and won't look shiny after applying it.

* UVA rays cause pigmentation and photoageing, while UVB rays cause tanning and skin cancer. It is vital to get broad spectrum coverage that will block both these types of harmful rays. For UVB protection, look for the SPF symbol, and for UVA look for the PA symbol!

* Get at least SPF 30 for your UVB protection and at least PA++ for your UVA protection! Sunscreen with good SPF will help in battling the harmful sun rays effectively.

* Check the list of ingredients on the flip side of the package. Make sure your sunscreen doesn't contain oxybenzone as this hormone disruptor harms the skin and causes allergic reactions also.

* The newer the sunscreen, the better the efficiency of the product. The components in the sunscreen have a tendency to break down very easily. Hence, it is important to buy a sunscreen with an early manufacturing date.

--IANS

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