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In all my years as a beauty editor, I've been confounded by many, many things. Isn't an essence the same as a toner? Why does natural looking" makeup still require 15 different steps? How have we managed to discover penicillin yet can't create a matte lipstick that doesn't feel like you're wearing a plaster cast on your mouth?
Sunscreen, on the other hand, has always seemed like the most clear-cut concept. UV rays can damage your skin and potentially cause you to develop skin cancer. Wearing a product with sun protection factor (SPF) protects against these ills. Case closed. Lately, not quite.
Consumers are more confused than ever about what products are safe and effective and how to use them properly. And a steady stream of misinformation may explain why only 43% of women report using an SPF of 15 or higher regularly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For dermatologists, there's no confusion on the subject. They want you to use sunscreen regularly and take other defensive measures like seeking shade throughout the day and wearing sun protective clothing. "The key to aging well and preventing skin cancers is to get in the habit of putting on a product with SPF every single day," says Abigail Waldman, M.D., clinical director of the Mohs and Dermatologic Surgery Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "Wake up, brush your teeth, put on sunscreen."
Here, Waldman and other top doctors debunk the SPF myths they hear most often from their patients, and offer commonsense strategies for proper sun protection.
Read the full story on Oprah Daily: Sunscreen Myths That Drive Dermatologists Crazy
Published 06/22/2020
