Spray Sunscreen is Convenient: The spray sunscreens are easy to apply compared to creams that come in tubes or bottles, and they are helpful when it comes to reaching your back and shoulders. But are they just as effective as sunscreen? What needs to be considered when using it? We asked an expert.
The sun puts many people in a good mood and gives them a wonderful summer feeling – but we have to protect ourselves from its dangers. Key word: sunscreen. When applied correctly, the sun protection protects the skin from dangerous UVA and UVB rays and reduces the risk of skin cancer, sunburn, premature skin aging and unsightly skin discoloration.
Sun spray or sunscreen?
The selection of sunscreens in the drugstore is huge – it is difficult to decide which one to buy:
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Sun protection factor 20, 30 or 50?
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Do children need special children’s sunscreen?
- Which sunscreens performed best in tests?
- The question is also important: sun spray or sun cream?
We wanted to know if a sunscreen spray or a traditional lotion in a tube or bottle was a better choice, so we did some research.
Is sunscreen spray as effective as lotion?
The short answer is yes. The various sun protection alternatives differ in their texture, but not in their effect. That means products with the same sun protection factor and UVA rating are equally good at protecting the skin. “The manufacturers themselves use appropriate tests to ensure that their products meet the advertised SPF and UVA protection,” explains Christine Throl, editor at Öko-Test and responsible for sunscreen tests there. And Stiftung Warentest also carries out regular tests and also checks the advertised SPF and UVA.
The prerequisite is, of course, that the products are used correctly.
So whether you rub SPF 50 sunscreen on yourself or squirt lots of SPF 50 sunscreen spray into your hand and rub it on, the effect is the same. It looks different when you spray the spray onto the skin.
What are the pros and cons of sunscreen sprays?
The biggest advantage of sunscreen sprays is that they are convenient. And for many people spraying is more fun than creaming. But there are also a few points that clearly speak in favor of the cream variant and against the spray: Sprays are often applied too sparingly, their use is only recommended when there is no breeze and the sprays should not be inhaled either.
“As a dermatologist, I’m not a fan of sun sprays,” concludes Christoph Liebich, a resident dermatologist in Munich. For one simple reason: “Most of the cream doesn’t get on the skin with sprays”.
Expert tips for applying sunscreen
If you use sun spray, you should consider the following points:
#1: Do not use sunscreen spray too sparingly
Hardly anyone knows how much sunscreen is really necessary to protect the skin. “That’s 2 milligrams of sunscreen per centimeter of skin surface,” explains Christoph Liebich and does the math: “A person who is 1.80 tall needs 20 to 25 milliliters of sunscreen. For creaming every time.” That’s around three to four tablespoons.
Harvard Medical School warns that most people are particularly sparing when applying sunscreen sprays: “Studies on sunscreen sprays show that many people only apply a quarter of the amount they need. To get a sun protection factor (SPF) similar to that of a lotion or gel, you have to spray every part of your body for up to six seconds.”
#2: Sunscreen sprays are not for the face
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not recommend using sunscreen sprays near the face. The spray can irritate the lungs if inhaled, especially in people with conditions like asthma.
#3: Only apply sunscreen sprays in windless places
A study by Griffith University in Brisbane examined the loss of sunscreen when using sprays at different wind speeds: the research team observed a sunscreen loss of 54 percent even with a light breeze of 10 km/h. “On windy days, Australians using aerosol sunscreen could waste up to 93% of their bottle as the sunscreen is carried into the environment by the wind, where it can have consequences for coastal ecosystems,” explains Dr. Elke Hacker, Senior Research Associate at Griffith University’s Menzies Health Institute Queensland. And what applies to Australians also applies to all other places in the world where sun protection is applied when it is windy.
When does sun spray make sense?
The dermatologist Christoph Liebich recommends sunscreen in spray form for acne patients, for example. “The sprays often have a lower fat content and are therefore better suited for sensitive acne skin”.
His tip: “It’s better to spray the sunscreen in your hand – and not directly on the body – and then apply the cream like normal sun lotion”. Then you know what really matters to the skin.
Even if things have to be done quickly or with children who vehemently resist applying sunscreen, a sun spray and the associated fun spraying action is often the key to success. Because the motto is: No matter what type of sun protection you choose – the main thing is that you protect your skin – and that of your children – from dangerous radiation.
Read more on Techzle\.com:
- Old sunscreen: Can you still use last year’s cream?
- Organic sunscreen: effective protection without risk?
- Study: Old sunscreen can develop carcinogens
- Sustainable sunglasses: Good UV protection and little plastic