Sun Protection Factor

Sun protection factor, usually referred to as SPF, shows how much sun protection a particular sunscreen provides. SPF protects against damaging UVB which can cause sunburn and cause skin cancer. It’s important that the sunscreen also provides protection against UVA rays and this is usually shown by a star system ranging from 0-5 (5 being the highest).

The higher the SPF rating, the more the skin is protected:

NICE recommends at least an SPF 30 to protect against UVB and at least a 4 star to
protect against UVA. It is important to use a high factor as it provides protection however no sunscreen is 100% effective.