What is SPF?

Do you know your sunscreen jargon?

As a consumer, we all love plenty of choice and when it comes to sun protection, there are thousands of different options to choose from. The array of lotions, gels, sprays and creams can be confusing, and the different UV protection labels tricky to understand. 

Techniblock may be a relatively “unknown” brand in the UK compared to Ambre Solaire or Nivea but it has been on the market for more than 30 years in South Africa and we’ve been selling it in the UK since 2010!

It’s developed and manufactured in a world-class pharmaceutical laboratory near Johannesburg and is a well-established, prominent choice for protecting the skin against the harsh and unrelenting South African sun.

Techniblock’s Active Performance and Wet & Dry ranges have been created using the very latest sunscreen technologies and provides high-quality, broad-spectrum protection against harmful UV rays. 

SPF

• What it stands for: Sun Protection Factor.
• What it does for your skin: It only deals with the UVB part of the ultraviolet energy that comes from the sun. UVB energy causes redness and sunburn on the skin. Want a trick to remember this? UVB, UV-Burn!
• How it works: It compares how much longer it takes for UVB to cause redness on the skin. So, an SPF of 50 means that, if it took 10 minutes for redness to appear on unprotected skin, it will take around 50 times that for the same symptoms to appear on the skin. In addition, due to the absence of oils and emulsifiers within the formula, it is highly water-resistant (these ingredients break down in water) and this makes Techniblock very long lasting and robust, even while swimming or perspiring.

UVA

• What it stands for: Ultra-Violet A.
• What it does to your skin: UVA energy doesn’t cause as much redness or sunburn, but it damages our skin’s genes, which leads to mutations and in the worst cases, skin cancer. It speeds up skin aging (hello, wrinkles, lines, and saggy skin) and can also cause hyperpigmentation. UVA radiation, which accounts for most of the sun’s rays, penetrates deeper into the levels of skin and is present all through the day, even on cloudy days.
  An easy way to remember? UVA, UV-Aging.
• How to protect your skin against UVA: Nowadays, there’s better sunscreen filters that protect against UVA energy. Look for a sun protection that offers “broad spectrum” protection, like Techniblock, and carries the UVA/UVB symbol on the packaging. To achieve a broad-spectrum rating, 90% of the total UV absorption must fall under 370 nm.

UVB

• What it stands for: Ultra-Violet B.
• What it does to your skin: UVB rays, also known as sunburn rays, have a 290 to 320 nm wavelength and are more associated with skin cancer than UVA tanning rays. This is because UVB rays cause direct DNA damage in skin cells and are the main rays that cause sunburns. An easy way to remember? UVB, UV-Burning.
• How to protect your skin against UVB: The SPF rating of a sunscreen relates to the protection from UVB. The higher the SPF, the more UVB protection. An SPF of 30 will filter 97% of UVB, an SPF of 50 will filter 99% of UVB radiation, thus highlighting the importance of a broad-spectrum sunscreen like Techniblock.

PPD

• What it stands for: Persistent Pigment Darkening.
• How it works: This terminology, mostly used in Asia and Europe, is similar to what we know already about SPF. The main difference is that we’re talking about UVA exposure and not UVB. PPD is tested on a panel of people exposed to UVA light. They all are analysed on the time it takes for their skin to tan and the results are compared between unprotected and protected skin. A PPD of 10 means that it will take around 10 times longer for your skin to tan, compared to if it was unprotected.

PA

• What it stands for: Protection Grade of UVA.
• How it works The PA system simplifies and groups the ratings from a PPD test. It ranges from PA+ to PA++++, being PA+ a sunscreen with a PPD of 2 to less than 4, PA++ one with PPD of 4 to 8, PA+++ from 8 to 16 and, finally, PA++++ those with a PPD of 16 or greater.
• Techniblock’s Active Performance and Wet & Dry range of sunscreens have all been tested and confirmed as having a PA of 21.03, therefore PA++++ which is the highest rating currently available within all sunscreens worldwide.

So, now you know your sunscreen jargon, choosing the right sun protection for you and your family should be easy. However, there’s still a lot of other factors to consider when deciding what to purchase. High protection can sometimes mean thick, gooey creams that take ages to rub in; or leave a white cast on the skin.  Sunscreens that encapsulate the UV filters in emulsifiers must be frequently reapplied after prolonged contact with water because they break down and wash off. Lotions and creams must be used within a specific period after opening as air can compromise the product and make it less effective.

Techniblock is unique because the UV filters are encapsulated in a CFC-free ethanol-based spray, that evaporates quickly and leaves behind just the ingredients needed to protect the skin. There’s no stickiness, nothing to break down in water, and it’s quick and easy to apply (although it must be sprayed in a sheltered area to ensure even coverage). It’s so light on the skin and yet the protection it offers is second-to-none.