There are three kinds of UV rays. UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVC is absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere and doesn't reach us, so you don't need to worry about it.
UVB are the rays that cause sunburn. UVA are the rays that cause aging. Both can cause skin cancer.
The SPF of a product refers to it's ability to protect against UVB rays only. Only products that say broad spectrum protect against both UVB rays and UVA rays.
While the intensity of UVB rays varies from the time of day/year, UVA rays stay constant during daylight hours and year round. UVA rays can also penetrate clouds and glass (UVB does too, but not nearly as well). So just because it's cloudy out doesn't mean you are safe from sun damage.
Tanning beds emit more UVA than UVB rays, and at a much higher doses than regular sun exposure (I read as much as 12x more). So tanning beds are actually worse for you.
Also, skin damage is cumulative. I wear sunscreen everyday, even if I barely go outside, because all those brief exposures add up. I am also extra careful, though, because I am so fair.
Like I said, I tried a while back to find a sunscreen free of nasty ingredients. They are out there, but each one I tried was way too thick and heavy. If I'm working outdoors or at the beach, yeah OK. But for everyday wear? It was just too much. Maybe I should try again, though. This was a year or two ago, so maybe there's better products out there now.
I've heard good thing about Badger's sunscreen....
http://www.badgerbalm.com/p-372-all-...der-cream.aspx
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