How much sunscreen do you apply? {Sunscreen}

I have read so many reviews on other blogs and sites especially on sunscreens. And, I have found out one terrible mistake which people make - amount of sunscreen to be applied for proper protection. Many people apply a drop of the product or equivalent. That got me thinking about the amount of sunscreen which should be applied for optimal protection. And, then, I came across a comment in facebook by Renne Rouleau which said that two finger length amount of sunscreen should be applied to every part of the body. 

So, I tried to find more about what is the ideal amount of sunscreen which should be applied. And, the information I came across was correct. If one applies amount of sunscreen which can be traced along the length of their middle finger, they get adequate protection of 45 minutes and if they apply the amount traced across both their index and middle finger, they get optimal protection of 2 hours and 15 minutes. And, this amount of sunscreen has to be applied to every part of the body. The body is divided into 11 parts - face and neck, upper back, lower back, chest, stomach and waist, both upper thighs and lower thighs including feet. So, you need to apply two finger length amount of sunscreen for every part of the body for optimal protection. And, sunscreen has to be applied every half hour according to the article I am referring to.

PS: The information provided in this post has been taken from this article. Kindly refer to it for more details. The link to this article was shared by Tanveer of Addicted to Blush so very thanks to her!!!

So, how much of this advice do I follow? Ok, no, I do not reapply any sunscreen after going into the sun. Not even during my vacation. And, I apply only a finger length amount to my face and neck. May be it is pretty less but frankly the products is so heavy and makes my skin so oily that there is no scope for reapplication unless I wash off my face and do the whole routine again which is again quite an impossible thing. But, how so ever much one might be diligent with sunscreen application and reapplication, it is always best to stay out of sun. I try to follow that rule most of the times :)

PS: This article is relevant for chemical sunscreens. 

READ MORE - How much sunscreen do you apply? {Sunscreen}

Sunscreen is breaking you out?

This is some tip I read some where regarding the usage of sunscreen. Use a Zinc Oxide based sunscreen if your sunscreen is breaking you out. 

Zinc Oxide is a great sunscreen agent and even a stronger antiseptic and inflammatory agent which helps the comedogenic (prone to blocked pores) skin. The best part is that zinc oxide based sunscreen is more effective and less harmful as compared to chemical sunscreens available in the market. For more information on physical and chemical sunscreen, please refer to this post.

READ MORE - Sunscreen is breaking you out?

What should you know about sunscreens?

Referring to my earlier post on Sunscreen for anti-aging skin care, I would like to add my recent personal experiences. In the above-mentioned post, I have talked about the physical sunscreen to be better than chemical sunscreen because of the various harmful chemicals present in them.There was a bit of information I forgot to include. The chemicals present in the sunscreens (chemical or even micronized and nanonized zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, for that matter) get absorbed by our skin and they form deposits in our body and produce free radicals which accelerate aging in the body. So, contrary to the popular belief, sunscreens do not prevent aging. But, they do protect you from harmful sun rays which can cause your skin to become dark and develop dark spots or patches and even, skin cancer. 

Speaking of the protection from sun, I have till now tried some 3-4 herbal, physical or natural sunscreens and believe me, they did not provide proper protection against sun. So, I had to ultimately switch back to chemical sunscreens. And, for the time being, I am quite contended with these sunscreens because they do take care of my skin very well. And, regarding the free radical generation within the body, I am taking care of it through my nutritional needs. Drinking green tea, eating lots of fruits (specially rich in Vitamin C) provide lot of anti-oxidants which can fight against the free radicals. So, I would advise you to take care of your skin problems inside and out. And, sometimes, being natural is not an option. Before I forget, I'll repeat it here again: eat lots of tomatoes and spinach (all green leafy vegetables) to increase your skin resistance to sun's rays. 

A note at the end: I have tried both over-the-counter products available at the stores and prescription-based products and have found dermatologist prescribed sunscreens are much effective. So, I would advise you all to go for a visit to a good dermatologist and get yourself a good sunscreen. Please choose your dermatologist very carefully.

READ MORE - What should you know about sunscreens?