SPF is a term you’ll probably be aware of if you’ve ever bought or even used sunscreen before. Its ubiquitous use in the sunscreen industry makes it hard to miss, but can you say with 100% certainty that you know exactly what it means? Are you sure you can answer the question – what is SPF – confidently?
Don’t worry if you can’t, as we’re here to offer some clarity. As well as making you more knowledgeable on the subject, by reading on, you’ll actually make it easier for yourself to buy the sunscreen that’s going to give you the best protection.
What Is SPF? What Does It Mean Exactly?
Answering ‘What is SPF?’ is pretty easy, but the surprise lies in what the numbers relate to. It’s this part that many people are a little fuzzy on. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and the numbers that usually follow it relate to the amount of extra time you can spend out in the sun without burning.
SPF describes the multiples of time it takes for the skin to burn in the sun. For example, let’s say that the average person experiences burning after 20 minutes when unprotected. That means an SPF 15 lets you stay out in the sun 15x 20 minutes = 300 minutes or 5 hours.
So, that means that
- An SPF 30 gives you 30 x 20 = 600 minutes (10 hours)
- An SPF 50 gives you 50 x 20 = 1000 minutes (around 16.5 hours)
- An SPF 100 gives you 100 x 20 = 2000 minutes (33 hours)
The caveat here is that this only works if you reapply the sunscreen every 2 hours you’re out in the sun. If you forget to reapply, you’re essentially going to be unprotected after 120 minutes have passed.
Does Each SPF Provide the Same UV Protection?
No, they don’t. In fact, they’re all different, but the amount of UV protection each one gives you doesn’t break down in the way you might think e.g. an SPF 30 doesn’t give you twice as much protection as an SPF 15. Instead, it lays out like this…
- SPF 15 blocks about 93% of UVB rays
- SPF 30 blocks roughly 97%
- SPF 50 blocks about 98%
- SPF 100 blocks about 99%
As you can see, the variance between an SPF 15 and an SPF 100 is quite small, but it can make a big difference if you’re going to be spending long hours under intense sunshine. What is also evident is that there’s no sunscreen that gives you 100% UV protection.
What is SPF? It’s a Scale to Help You Find the Ideal Option
SPF in sunscreen exists for a very good reason. Without SPF to guide you when buying sun protection, it would be nigh on impossible to find the right product for your needs. Now that you have some definitive info on what each number means, you’ll find it much easier to identify the right sunscreen for you.
By choosing the right SPF and applying sunscreen every 2 hours while outside, you’ll be able to protect your skin from premature aging, skin cancer and the discomfort of sunburn.
