A surfer’s skin experiences continuous exposure to the sun: directly or via the reflective water. Sunburns, skin damage and even skin cancer are real threats so it is important to protect yourself from the harmful damage from the sun.
Consider these 5 things when buying a sunblock:
1 UVA/UVB PROTECTION
Check if your sunscreen is protected against UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays penetrate deeply into the skin and can cause wrinkles, premature aging of the skin and cancer. Too much UVB causes sunburns. Read the packaging of any sunscreen product but you want a sunscreen with broad-spectrum or multi-spectrum protection for both UVA and UVB.
2 SPF
The SPF factor rates how effective the sunscreen is in preventing sunburn caused by UVB rays. Try to go for at least SPF 30+. Remember that the higher the SPF, the smaller the increased benefit. SPF 30 isn’t twice as strong as SPF 15. While SPF 15 filters out 93% of UVB, SPF 30 filters out 97%, only a little bit more.
3 WATER RESISTANCE
It’s worth it getting a sunscreen resistant to water and sweat. Remember that these sunscreens are not waterproof so you have to reapply them regularly. If possible, check how greasy they are, because too much grease and you will slip off your board easily.
4 APPLICATION
Apply your sunblock at least half an hour before hitting the water. This will allow your skin to absorb most of the lotion so it works better, you are less greasy and you won’t get as much lotion runoff in your eyes. Especially when you are in the water surfing, reapply it regularly, every 2-3 hours.
5 LIPS
Don’t forget your lips. You can get lip balsam with every SPF factor. We recommend at least SPF30+.