What is Sun Protection Factor (SPF)?

The sun is a magnificent sphere of burning gas, providing energy to the entire solar system. In the past several decades, we have made many technological breakthroughs and are still discovering ways to harness this energy to help satisfy the world's increasing demand for energy with solar power. Brunton, for example, creates solar panels to power everything from homes to portable cell phone batteries. Although the high amounts of radiation are a viable energy source, UV rays from the sun are potentially carcinogenic. Before you purchase a Brunton solar panel, make sure you are familiar with sunscreen terminology as you will likely be getting some sunshine while installing it!

The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is a numerical rating displayed on sunscreen packages. The higher the number the better protection against Hazardous effects of UVB rays. SPF does not relate in any way to a product's ability to protect you against UVA rays.

At present, there is no standardized system for measuring UVA protection. A higher SPF number does not protect you against burns from UVA rays, aging, wrinkling, and other long term skin injuries that can lead to melanoma and skin cancer-unless the product also contains the active ingredients that are proven to protect against UVA, too-Avobenzone (Parsol 1789®), titanium dioxide or zinc oxide.

SPF 15 is generally considered to be adequate for higher UV zones however a higher protection factor such as SPF 30 gives better protection in zones where the sun is stronger such as south Africa and Australia.

Sun blocks is not only for summer use --on a beach day. Bright sunlight reflects off snow in winter also calls for a good sun protection cream.

SPF is calculated by comparing the amount of time needed to produce a sunburn on protected skin to the amount of time needed to produce a sunburn on unprotected skin.

A product is rated SPF 2 if a person who normally starts to burn after 10 minutes without sun protection begins to burn after 20 minutes with the sun protection product. (20:10 = 2). An SPF of 30 means that it takes a person 30 times longer to burn from UVB overexposure when using that product than if he uses nothing at all.