What is the difference between Ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays?
For years UVB rays have been known to cause sunburns and to be a primary cause of skin cancers. Traditional sun blocks have concentrated on deflecting these rays and preventing absorption by the skin. More recently, UVA rays have become a more important consideration, as not only a causative factor in the development of skin cancer, but also in the aging of the skin as well. There is a marketing push by several manufacturers to promote sunscreens to specifically block these UVA rays in addition to the traditional protection against UVB. 2) What are the important active ingredients to look for in effective sunscreens? The best sun block ingredients are zinc oxide and titanium oxide, both of which are inert oxidized metals that are completely opaque. These oxides are good at blocking both UVA and UVB rays and they dont interact with you and your body. Remember the lifeguards of your youth with the white noses? They were using the cheapest, most effective form of sun block. Today zinc and
