What can you tell me about SPF?

[IMGONNABE40!]

My DH thinks that higher than 30 is not quite a waste, but diminishing returns. I have used products as high as 50, but I could only find 36 in the BullFrog brand I wanted to try. Will there be a big difference?

 

[liznboys]

I've heard that anything over 30 is not any better than 30. I don't know if that's true. We use 50 SPF here.

 

[raidermatt]

The idea is that the SPF tells you how many times longer the sunscreen protects you than if you wore no sunscreen.

So if you would last 15 minutes before getting burned without protection, SPF 30 is supposed to protect you for 450 minutes.

That's where the diminishing returns thing comes in. Unless you are in some pretty extreme conditions, or expect to be in the direct sun for a long period of time, 30 is probably enough. Provided of course you re-apply periodically.

No harm in going higher though, especially if you are fair-skinned.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

Thank you for the information.

 

[raidermatt]

Thank you for the information.

No problem... I have so little of it, I have to jump at any chance to share it!

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

Well you have come to the right place to share info. you never know what obscure thing people here will want information on. I am sure that you will be able to provide a lot of info for folks here on the boards, Matt.

 

[SpecialK]

DH was just at the dermatologist last week. She recommended 50SPF for my fair-skinned husband and sons. She also recommended a product called Blue Lizard. Haven't seen it around here.

 

[KingsFanInRI]

I was at a Red Sox game two weeks ago and between innings they had a true/false thing and one of the questions was "True or false: sunscreen above SPF 15 is more beneficial than SPF15..." the answer was false. I was quite surprised but I put a lot of stock into the credibility of the source... Beth Israel Deaconess hospital of Boston, one of the world's finest. That's what I know about sunscreen, for what it's worth