Q: I take advantage of spray sunscreens all summer time as a result of they’re really easy to placed on. But are they pretty much as good as lotions?
There are various issues to like about spray sunscreens: They typically really feel lighter on the pores and skin and are simpler to use than their lotion counterparts. But for those who suppose just some haphazard spritzes will present sufficient safety towards the solar’s dangerous rays, suppose once more, dermatologists say.
Day by day sunscreen use is important, mentioned Dr. Maral Kibarian Skelsey, a medical affiliate professor of dermatology at Georgetown College Medical Faculty. It prevents sunburn and protects your pores and skin from long-term solar injury, which may trigger wrinkles and sun spots and lift your danger of pores and skin most cancers — the most common form of cancer in america.
But many Americans don’t apply sunscreen often enough. In a 2020 survey from the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, simply 12 p.c of males and 29 p.c of ladies mentioned they all the time used sunscreen after they had been exterior for multiple hour on a sunny day.
Right here’s what to know in regards to the professionals and cons of spray sunscreens, and how one can use them successfully.
The Advantages and Drawbacks of Spray Sunscreen
Spray sunscreens are common as a result of they’re really easy to make use of, mentioned Dr. Jean Charles, a dermatologist in Cedar Park, Texas. Spraying permits you to goal giant swaths of the physique, together with hard-to-reach spots like your again.
Sprays are typically lighter, much less “sticky, oily and heavy,” and fewer more likely to depart a white residue than lotions, mentioned Dr. David Kim, a beauty dermatologist at Idriss Dermatology in New York Metropolis.
