Mistakes to avoid with your sunscreen gel

Protecting yourself from the sun is important, in theory. In practically, we often get it all wrong: we expose ourselves to the hottest hours, it’s important to apply sunscreen gel ever two hours. Our experts remind us of what not to do and twist certain received ideas.

In This Article

• Thinking that sunburn is the only danger to avoid
• Satisfied with an SPF 15 when you have dark skin or already tanned
• Relying only on sunscreen gel for protection
• Forgetting to get over it after getting out of the water
• Thinking that you do not risk anything in cloudy weather
• Forgetting to protect certain areas of the body
• Start using sunscreen gel SPF 50 sunscreen

1: Thinking that sunburn is the only danger to avoid

What happens: You think that by exposing yourself in small doses, you are avoiding sunburn, which remains in your eyes the main damage that the sun can do to your skin.

The dermatologist responds: "Sunburn is very unpleasant, but it is an epiphenomenon compared to skin aging and cancers induced by UVA rays".

Sunburn is caused by 90% by UVB Ray and UVA responsible mainly for skin aging and cancer.

And that's the whole problem: there is no clinical sign, no warning message indicating that we have taken too much UVA. And if we protect ourselves from UVB without protecting ourselves from UVA, we also "deprive ourselves" of the signal that is sunburn. But in fact, sun protection has evolved and there is no longer any sunscreen gel that wouldn't protect against UVB rays without also protecting against UVA rays. The regulations impose the following ratio: the anti UVA protection must be equal to or greater than one-third of the anti-UVB protection.

2: Satisfied with an SPF 15 when you have dark skin or already tanned

What happens: as your skin supports the sun very well, and is already tanned, you only put an SPF 15, thinking that it is good enough. You believe that is formulated to "hold" even after two 20-minute baths, and a "very water-resistant" product with four 20-minute baths… But these conditions remain "theoretical", in the laboratory under standardized conditions, and sometimes it is better to reapply the product.

5: Thinking that you do not risk anything in cloudy weather

Today, the weather is cloudy; you think that sun protection is only justified when the sun is showing… so no sunscreen gel.

The dermatological response: "Clouds diffract UV radiation but do not stop it". If you want to stay outside for a long time for an activity on a cloudy day, dermatologists recommend protecting yourself. Do you doubt that this advice is justified?

6: Forgetting to protect certain areas of the body

Even when doing the best, there is often an area left behind by the application of the cream, and a little sunburn may appear.

Starting with the scalp of men who are starting to lose hair, behind the ears or the back of the neck … areas that are more easily discovered when you are hot and the hair is tied back. It is imperative to protect the face and hands, which are the most exposed areas.

For this exercise in precision which consists of completely protecting yourself, the laboratories work on the quality of the textures. "A