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chemical vs. physical sunscreens? girlawhirl figures it all out May 22, 2007
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Although the wrinkle-phobe in Girlawhirl insists that she wear some sort of sun protection on a daily basis - especially on her face - truth be told, Girlawhirl was a little lost recently when the conversation turned to chemical versus physical sunblock… She always keeps her eye on the numbers, tries a few every season to find some that she likes, a sport formula that stays out of her eyes for tennis or volleyball, a greaseless one for under her makeup and so on. But after a bit of digging she found that being a bit more sunscreen savvy could help her to choose the right protection every time.
Physical blockers are just that, they form a coating on the skin that either reflects or scatters the sun's rays, and prevents them from getting through. These blockers like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide stop both UVA and UVB rays, which is great because they afford broad spectrum protection with little risk of skin irritation. That's why they're so often recommended for people with sensitive skin.
Chemical sunscreens are often combined together, or sometimes with one of the physical blockers, to make sure that both UVA and UVB rays are being stopped. When the sun's rays hit Girlawhirl's skin and she's wearing a chemical sunscreen, the UV radiation is actually absorbed by the sunscreen before it gets to her skin.
So now that Girlawhirl has a better understanding of how a sunscreen works, she still needs to make sure that it's working for her. And that means reapplication throughout the day, especially after swimming or a sweaty game of softball, and realizing that both her hair and her face will thank her if she keeps her hat on.
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