No matter your skin colour, applying sunscreen daily is not optional. Indeed, each skin type reacts differently to UV rays (tanning, sunburn, freckles), which is why everyone needs to be adequately protected. Therefore, the choice of sun protection should not be taken lightly and is based on certain criteria. But then, to which skin type does SPF 20 correspond?
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SPF 20: Suitable for which skin type?
Summary
- How to choose your sunscreen correctly?
- For which phototype is the sun protection factor 20 suitable?
Published June 23, 2021,
updated on October 4, 2024,
by
Stéphanie, PhD, Doctorate in Life and Health Sciences
—
3 min read
How to choose your sunscreen correctly?
The SPF , or Sun Protection Factor in English, indicates the level of protection a sunscreen provides against UVB rays. These rays are harmful to the skin, as they are the ones that burn the epidermis and cause sunburn, and are thus the origin of skin cancers. However, to choose a suitable sun protection, one must take into account their skin type (phototype), but also the sun exposure conditions (duration of exposure, time of day, etc...). There are 6 levels of protection:
Phototype I: White/very fair skin with numerous freckles that appear quickly upon exposure, never tans and burns easily.
Phototype II: Fair skin that can acquire a slight tan, with the presence of freckles following sun exposure, frequent sunburns and tans lightly.
Phototype III : Medium skin with few or no freckles, barely burns and tans gradually.
Phototype IV: Olive skin, with occasional sunburns and tans easily.
Phototype V: Dark skin that tans quickly and significantly, with rare occurrences of sunburn.
Phototype VI: Black skin that may exhibit slight redness as well as hyperpigmentation spots.
For which phototype is the sun protection factor 20 suitable?
The application of a sunscreen with a protection factor of 20 is primarily suitable for phototypes V and VI. Just because these skin types produce a lot of melanin and are therefore less prone to sunburn than very fair to fair skins, it doesn't mean they don't need to be protected and hydrated. One might think that melanin provides a natural barrier against UV rays. However, medium, mixed-race or black skins also require additional sun protection to effectively combat ultraviolet rays. Dark to very dark skins are also sensitive, as, at the slightest solar aggression, hyperpigmentation spots can appear. Moreover, regardless of one's skin type based on colour, it is advised against using a sunscreen with an SPF lower than 20.
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