Do sunblocks with a higher SPF offer better protection against the cancer and wrinkle causing rays?
For everyday use April through October, in temperate climates, an SPF 15 is fine for adults and children age 1 year and older. SPF 30 or higher is a good number for people who live in the middle, southern and western areas of the country. If you’ll be in direct sun for more than an hour, especially at a beach, pond, or pool, a higher waterproof SPF product is the way to go. Extremely high SPF products (greater than 50) are more expensive and unnecessary if you’re already being “sun smart.” Why are there so many darn numbers, anyway — 15, 35, 45, 60 … ? High SPFs are the big thing this year. The SPF is the ratio of the time required to get a minimal sunburn while wearing the product, compared to the time you’re not wearing it.. So, if you normally turn pink at nighttime after a 15 minute sun exposure earlier in the day, with an SPF 15, it would take 150 minutes to see the same amount of sunburn. The very high SPF products are only marginally more protective than mid-SPF products. An
