Sunscreen is Better Sun Protection Than Umbrella

By Ana Verayo, | January 23, 2017

Researchers say a beach umbrella is not enough for sun protection.

Researchers say a beach umbrella is not enough for sun protection.

A new study has revealed that sitting under an umbrella cannot protect you from the sun's harmful rays. Scientists suggest that using sunscreen is the better and more effective way of protecting yourself.

Like Us on Facebook

The researchers found that about 78 percent of those who only used an umbrella to protect themselves from the sun at the beach were sunburned even if they were only exposed for a few hours. While only 25 percent of those who used sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 100 got sunburned.

The researchers admitted that although sunscreen is a more effective method than a large umbrella, neither of them can provide 100 percent protection.

According to the co-author of the study, Hao Ou-Yang from the  Johnson and Johnson Consumer Inc., it is best to use a combination of both measures. The sunscreen used in this study was developed by Neutrogena, which partly funded this research.

Hao noted that it is best to use more than two kinds of sun protection along with high SPF sunscreen such as wearing clothing and hats and also staying in the shade.

 

During the study, researchers tested 81 participants with fair skin who were made to sit under the midday sun in Lake Lewisville, Texas for 3.5 hours. Then, the researchers assigned them in random to use a standard beach sized umbrella or sunscreen with SPF 100.

The next day, the researchers checked the participants for sunburns. The results revealed that there were 143 sunburned areas on 41 people who used an umbrella. In comparison, there were only 17 sunburned areas on those who slathered on sunscreen.

In total, 32 participants got sunburned while under an umbrella compared to only 10 who used sunscreen.

Scientists have concluded that beach umbrellas can directly block the sun's rays, but it cannot shield us from scattered rays. According to dermatologist Jennifer Stein at the NYU Langone Medical Center, do not just rely on one method for sun protection. The safest is to avoid sitting outside during the middle of the day or opt to sit under a shade and wear protective clothing and sunscreen.

Stein added that when it comes to SPF, it should be at least 30. During a vacation or those with an active lifestyle are advised to use a combination of protective factors to prevent sunburns especially people the fair skin.

This new study was published in the journal, JAMA Dermatology. 

©2024 Telegiz All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission
Real Time Analytics