How Does SPF Work?
How Does SPF Work?
The higher the SPF the more protection it will provide, meaning the skin can be exposed to UVB rays longer before it burns. For example SPF 15 will allow you to stay in the sun without burning 15 times longer than with no protection at all. So if it takes 20 minutes for a person’s unprotected skin to burn they could expose their skin for up to five hours, by using SPF 15.
To work this out multiply the burn-time by the SPF, so 20 minutes x (SPF) 15 = 300 minutes or five hours.
Top tip: Each application does not extend the protection time and regular reapplication is important to maintain the protection level.
The level a person should use depends on their skin type and where in the world they are travelling to, here is an easy reference guide you can use when recommending an SPF to your customers:
