Women over 45, Your Personal SPF: Determining Your Number

Taking Control of Your Personal SPF

Personal SPF–The Basics

Personal Spf and adequate sun protection should be a concern for anyone  who is concerned with maintaining  their skin in ti-top shape (and that includes keeping skin firm, avoiding wrinkles, building collagen, brown discolorations,  and epecially preventing skin cancer). Always apply suncreen liberally and look for a minimu SPF 15 but spf 30 and over is preferred.  Make sure that sunscreen has  UVA protection, that is critical.

PERSONAL SPF– Factors and Decisions

Important influential factors when choosing and applying sunscreen:

1. How long you are going to be in the sun, either outside or sitting next to a window (UVA radiation, comes through the windows).  As your time in these situation increase, the SPF number you need to look for increase.
2. Apply  sunscreen liberally.
3. Swimming? Perspiring heavily?  Your  sunscreen should be  labeled water resistant. And reapply as directed.

You’ll also want to take into consideration your skin type and whether or not you’ll be wearing makeup.

1. Normal to dry skin? use lotion or cream sunscreens
2. Oily or combination skin? lightweight lotion sunscreens  with a matte finish, an alcohol-free gel base, or a liquid. Spray-on sunscreens can be excellent choice if you have  oily skin.
3. Makeup foundation can be chosen with SPF level. Your mositurizer and pressed powder can have it as well.

What’s Your Personal Spf Rating?

Your ideal SPF number is a multiplication figure based on your skin color and the SPF number on the product.  You can determine your personal Spf in this manner.

Identify Your Skin Color:

	Level 1  very fair, often freckled, burns easily with 20 min. of direct sun exposure, never tans. Usually blue eyes and blonde or red hair.
	Level 2 skin– fair to light,  burns with 30 min. of direct sun exposure.  Can tan but minimally. common for individuals who have blue, green, or hazel eyes and blonde, red, , or light brown hair.
	Level 3 skin–light to medium or olive,  sometime burns, tanning possible, typically sunburn then tan. This level can apply to those of any eye or hair color.
	Level 4 skin–medium to tan skin,  rarely burns, but can get pink, tan easily, dark hair and eyes.
	Level 5 skin–brown to dark brown skin, very rarely burns, tans easily in about two hours of sun exposure, dark hair and eyes, often of Middle Eastern or African-American descent.
	Level 6 black skin,never burns,always tans, but tan is not apparent.

Unprotected  Sun exposure for any type of skin still leads to skin discoloration, wrinkles and skin cancer!
 Do the Personal SPF Math:

• Your Level of Sunburn Risk x by the SPF Rating = Safe Sun Exposure for Your Skin Color
• The SPF number is a rating that determines how long you can stay in the sun without burning when you wear that product without needing to reapply it. It does not indicate quality of protection, just length of time. Here’s how to do the math. If you have:
  • Level 1 skin (very fair): That means you usually get a burn in about 15 to 20 minutes of unprotected sun exposure. Determining your skin’s response to various SPF ratings works like this:

• SPF 15 x 20 minutes = 300 minutes (5 hours) of protection
• SPF 30 x 20 minutes = 600 minutes (10 hours) of protection
• SPF 45 x 20 minutes = 900 minutes (15 hours) of protection

Level 2 skin (fair to light): That means you usually get a burn in about 30 minutes of unprotected sun exposure. Determining your skin’s response to various SPF ratings works like this:

• • SPF 15 x 30 minutes = 450 minutes (7.5 hours) of protection
  • SPF 30 x 30 minutes = 900 minutes (15 hours) of protection
  • SPF 45 x 30 minutes = 1,350 minutes (22.5 hours) of protection
• Level 3 skin (light to medium/olive):That means you usually get a burn in about 40 minutes of unprotected sun exposure. Determining your skin’s response to various SPF ratings works like this:
  • SPF 15 x 40 minutes = 600 minutes (10 hours) of protection
  • SPF 30 x 40 minutes = 1,200 minutes (20 hours) of protection
  • SPF 45 x 40 minutes = 1,800 minutes (30 hours) of protection
• Level 4 skin (medium to tan): That means you usually get a burn in about 60 minutes of unprotected sun exposure. Determining your skin’s response to various SPF ratings works like this:
  • SPF 15 x 60 minutes = 900 minutes (15 hours) of protection
  • SPF 30 x 60 minutes = 1,800 minutes (30 hours) of protection
  • SPF 45 x 60 minutes = 2,700 minutes (45 hours) of protection
• Level 5 and Level 6 skin (brown to dark brown or black):That means you usually get a burn in about 120 minutes (2 hours) of unprotected sun exposure. Determining your skin’s response to various SPF ratings works like this:
  • SPF 15 x 120 minutes = 1.800 minutes (*30 hours) of protection
  • SPF 30 x 120 minutes = 3,600 minutes (60 hours) of protection
  • SPF 45 x 120 minutes = 5,400 minutes (90 hours) of protection

*Note that level 5 and 6 often can use  SPF 15, with liberal applications. But SPF 30, is generally recommended.
This helpful tips   from Paula Begoun, the author of “Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter without Me.”  

Blog Note:  No compensation or product was provided in exchange for this blog post.