This article breaks down and explains the levels of SPF 15 vs 30 and vs 50. It will also explain their effectiveness in helping to block the skin from the sun’s radiation.
As we explained in this article here, SPF is generally related to the amount of sun exposure that your skin faces. It is however difficult to identify and know for certain how long it can usually take a person to get sunburn without protection.
Experts believe that it all comes down to where you live, the time of the year or even the time of the day! There are also assumptions that people with darker complexions (generally black and especially African people) do not need sunscreen protection given their melanin and strong skin complexion. Check this article here to learn more.
Besides, depending on how much or how long you want to be protected from the sun rays, there are a variety of different levels ranging from 1 to 100.
These SPF numbers are determined by the exposure of the sun’s rays at their intensity to the human skin. This is done to verify how long it will take to get sunburn in unprotected skin.
We will now focus on the three most popular and well-known levels out there which are as follows: SPF 15, 30 and 50.
SPF 15:
It generally helps block around 93% of UVB rays.
It is recommended to apply if your skin would normally burn after 10 minutes in the sun (not if you are not exposed directly to the sun but rather being indoors).
Indeed, experts would generally advise you to use SPF 15 when you are staying indoors with little to no sun interaction to have adequate sun protection.
But if you plan to go outside, an SPF 15, can give you a false sense of protection security and your skin could be exposed to additional sun damage (especially if not applied properly).
Some however would say that it all depends on the skin type, the intensity of sunlight and the amount used which we will briefly highlight later.
SPF 30:
It generally gives you the protection of around 96.7% of UVB rays.
This level of sunscreen is typically recommended by a dermatologist when it comes to applying it on one’s face (but also body) since it has the broadest spectrum of UV protection approved for all skin tones.
For example, dermatologists from the American Academy of Dermatology recommend using SPF 30 as a daily application to all uncovered skin.
SPF 50:
As we have seen, while an SPF 30 protects you from around 96.7% of UVB rays, an SPF 50 will protect your skin by around 98%! And anything beyond 50+ makes small to no difference in terms of risk of sun damage.
Which one is better?
Experts would generally advise people to use SPF 50 when they are directly exposed to intense sun or during an extremely sunny and hot day. This will ensure that you will have the best protection on your skin.
Therefore, when going to the beach, it is best to use an SPF greater than 50 that is also water-resistant to avoid having to constantly apply it repeatedly.
It is then advisable to use a high SPF if you are often exposed to the sun and water more than usual. This will give you a better chance of protecting your skin properly.
The ESCF (European Skin Cancer Foundation) claimed that a greater SPF protects your skin better than a lower one. For instance, SPF50 protects five times better than SPF10, which also means that a sunscreen with SPF 60 is twice as effective as SPF 30 and so on.
Also using a higher SPF means that you will be protected for a longer amount of time in the sun. For instance, an SPF level 2 is believed to be just as effective as an SPF 30 in protecting your skin. However, the lower the SPF the more frequently you will have to apply it throughout the day since the length of protection is shortened.
Some for instance would argue that while it is possible to use a sunscreen that is higher than 50 unless you are directly exposed to intense heat, they do not offer additional protection to your skin.
Many also believe that once you get to SPF 30 you do not need to opt for a higher SPF to get extra protection. This is because it mainly depends on how you use it and the components that are on the sunscreen.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that there is no certain way to know whether a specific sunscreen level can be effective against UV rays. This is because many people fail and lack the knowledge to use it properly. Many do not apply sunscreen in the right way but think that just applying it once is enough to protect the skin all day. But what if your skin is exposed to water?
Therefore, no matter the SPF that you decide to use, it is advisable to reapply it at least every two hours, particularly after sweating or swimming (basically when your skin is exposed to water).
A study has shown that failure to apply the right amount of SPF 15 sunscreen in an uneven way means that SPF 30 has twice the UV protection and twice the protection against skin cancer given the fact that we do not apply the full amount of SPF 15.
What level of SPF do I need for my dry sensitive skin?
In terms of SPF, it is quite insignificant. Since the key factors that you should be watching out for are the ingredients present in sunscreen.
It is certainly sufficient to wear a sunscreen that offers adequate protection and use it correctly. However, you should also look for sunscreen that hydrates your skin and contains no chemicals. Chemicals can cause further irritation, making your skin weaker and more vulnerable.
Also, you should be specifically looking at a sunscreen that provides both UVA and UVB protection since many sunscreens (at any level) do not usually protect you against UVA rays. Because UVB rays are shorter in length and can cause sunburn, people initially thought that it was the only UV rays to worry about.
However, they did not know that UVA rays contribute to premature ageing and skin cancer. That is when they recently started to implement UVA protection into sunscreen. So please look out for it!
To conclude, we have seen that the level of SPF is generally relevant depending on the amount of sun exposure that your skin faces.
You should use a higher SPF when the temperature is high.
You will generally be better off with a lower one but make sure that you reapply it properly throughout the day.
And when using SPF on your skin no matter the level it is advisable to use one teaspoon and apply it evenly to the skin. Apply it 20 to 30 minutes before heading out and remember to reapply it every 2 hours.
For dry sensitive skin, look for hydrating sunscreens that are free from chemicals that give you both UVA and UVB protection!
