A surprising number of people use Australian sunscreen, use it and still get burnt. Why is that? FDA-approved sunscreens are proven to work, so you’d think that they’d work for everyone. The problem is that not everyone applies them by following the instructions as laid out on the packaging.
We don’t want anyone to suffer the misery of sunburn or experience sun ageing that occurs when proper protection isn’t there, so we’ve put together a few of the mistakes people make and offer advice on how to avoid each one.
Overplaying the Level of Protection Australian Sunscreen Provides
A big mistake that some people make is assuming that wearing a high SPF means that you get to spend additional time under the sun’s rays. Unfortunately, that’s not the case, as the scale simply denotes how many more times it will take for your skin to burn once it has been applied.
You still need to apply it every two hours to stay safe. Those who overplay what sunscreen can do often end up going home and having to reach for the aftersun.
Not Applying Sufficient SunscreenÂ
Another huge mistake that gets made by people is not applying enough of the stuff. Rather than simply lathering it on over the face, shoulders and arms, you need to cover every square centimeter of skin to avoid any unpleasant burning or blistering. Areas people regularly forget when applying sunscreen include the ankles and backs of the knees.
The experts say that you should use the amount it would take to fill a shot glass. Use less than this amount, and it’s just going to be layered too thinly, or you’re going to miss areas.
Forgetting to Protect the Lip Area
An area that’s routinely missed by Australian sunscreen users is around the lips. Of course, you’ll be applying an SPF lip balm rather than sunscreen, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less important. Your lips are amongst the most delicate locations on the body, so it is prone to burning, as well as certain types of cancers, so you absolutely shouldn’t forget to cover them.
Foregoing Sunscreen Because You’re in the Shade
You may or may not have noticed that light tends to get wherever it wants to, meaning that just because you’re not standing out in the sun doesn’t mean you’re safe. Being in the shade will help to stop most rays from getting to you, although UVB rays can bounce off the concrete or sand and impact your skin.
The same applies when talking about cloudy days, as UVB rays can permeate clouds and burn just as easily as if it were blazing sunshine outside.
Australian Sunscreen Works Well When You Use it Right
Don’t feel bad if any of the mistakes above sound familiar. The reason why we’re even talking about these errors is that many, many people make them. You see, you’re not on your own.
However, with just a little knowledge and adjustment, you can be sure that you’re getting the protection you think you are when you wear it. There’s a very good reason why they put instructions on these products, so if you do nothing else – read and digest them.
