What's the difference between sunblock and sunscreen?
352429
What a coincidence, I was just discussing this topic the other day...\n\nSunscreens contain chemicals that actually absorb the wavelengths of light, usually in a specific range of wavelenghts. Sunblocks, on the other hand, actually create a physical barrier on the skin that absorbs and scatters the UV rays. Typically, sunblocks are messier than sunscreens, and they may make you feel "greasy" or like you have gunk on your skin.
544054
There are some good sunblock/insect repellent mixes available so you don't have to buy two lots of goods all the time. Any drug store/supermarket should have them.
72512
The sun damages your skin every time you are out in it.  Suntanning is NEVER healthy.  Even if you are naturally darker-skinned, you will still have wrinkles and unhealthy skin and it's still possible for you to get skin cancer.\nAlways wear sunscreen or sunblock, at least SPF 15.\nAnd, tanning beds are even worse than the sun--they increase the amount of bad light rays that hit your skin.
235555
It has no suncreen in it.  So buy some sunscreen.
630143
You should do a skin patch test. Put a little bit on the inside of your elbow (turn your arm around, put it in the little denty bit). Leave it there for 24 hours, if it's not itchy or blotchy it should be fine for you. An SPF 50 will more than likely block out the sun completely. An SPF 15 is generally best (according to my sister).
1132336
I personally had severe sunburns when I was a child, and the best thing is today I do not have skin cancer...my parents used large regular tea bags in a luke warm bath and then I soaked in it along with using aloe vera whiched helped stop my skin from cooking. To help prevent skin cancer and other sunburns always make sure your child has sunscreen on when in the sun and also on cloudy days.
939225
I also suffer from SAD and have been successfully utilizing a tanning salon, in the winter months only, with great results.  I realize UVA/UVB rays can be harmful, but I use sunblock and I only go 2 times a week during Dec./Jan./Feb.; by then, spring is back where I live and I can be outdoors again.
518347
Aloe Vera Gel. Try some lotion with Aloe Vera in it. I have a sun burn right now, and I have for the past few days, and I've been using Aloe Vera lotion, and it's almost gone already!
115975
"If you don't see a date, the rule of thumb is that the active ingredients in sunscreen (like zinc, titanium dioxide and Parsol 1789) should remain stable and effective for about three years, according to David Leffell, M.D., professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine. But if it smells funny, feels lumpy or has a bizarro color, dump it. To keep your sunscreen as close to new as possible, store it in a dry spot at room temperature with the lid tightly fastened."
1186581
natural.. its gradual.. use like spf 8 or 15 and go out for like 4 hours every day around noon. the best tans are natural ones :)
142788
Well, if you don't really care whether you get dark or not but you just want sunscreen, get SPF 45 or something. But if you care about being tanned, get SPF 100000 or somthing. If you get sunsceen because you go swimming, normal sunscreen isn't good enough, get water proof ones, and you can also get sunscreen lip balm water proof too. (Water proof means sweat proof and other liquied proof.)
682211
sunblock because it say's on tv it's better
387283
No-one can say for sure, but what we *can* say for sure is that plenty of people get skin cancer in places on their bodies that are never exposed to the sun.  So, you could spend your whole life in a cupboard and *still* end up with skin cancer, without even having years of pleasure from sun-worshipping to offset it.  Also some research suggests that sun exposure actually inhibits cancer, since sunlight produces vitamin D, and this is thought to have a preventative effect on certain cancers.\n\nMy advice is this:  Never use sun lotion, it causes skin cancer.  My reasoning is that if there is anything about sunlight that causes cancer, it's likely to be the length of time you are exposed to it.  Using sun lotion gives people a false sense of security about being out in the sun (because it inhibits the natural effect of exposure, i.e. tanning), with the result that they spend much more time exposed to the sun than they would otherwise.  I'm pretty sure it's no coincidence that there is a strong correlation between the greatly increased use of sun lotion in recent decades and the increase in skin cancer seen in some places.  Hence my conclusion is that sun lotion causes cancer.\n\nSo, the natural and sensible alternative is to use your body's own sun protection - tanning - to guide you in your sun exposure.  Start by short periods of exposure - just a few minutes - and see how your skin reacts.  If you are perfectly comfortable and get a shade of tan, that's about right.  If you go red, or even worse start to peel, you know you've overdone it.  Gradually work up to the protection of a deep natural tan.  You will get a good safe tan with much less exposure than if you used lotion.\n\nOne final point:  By far the most important issue with skin cancer is early detection, so if you see anything that concerns you, get it checked out straight away.
1099466
According to Reuters Health article \n\n" a Little Bit of Sun May be a Good Thing: Experts" by Anne Harding, researchers spoke at the annual meeting of the American Association of the Advancement of Science, on the positive effects of solar radiation on the human body. Dr. Michael Holick of Boston University School of Medicine noted that vitamin D helps keep bones strong, and helps control cell growth. \n\nBut don't overdo it. Too much sun without protection can damage your skin. No need to spend hours and hours at the beach. But do make sure to spend some time, every season, in the sun to keep your body strong and healthy. And getting some sun is another reason to lace up those running shoes, get out the door, and go for a run.\n\nMelanoma skin cancer is caused by too much sun exposure but keep in mind everyone's skin is different and offers different levels of protection due to their amout of pigment in their skin. Black people can stay in the sun much longer than white people due their high amount of pigment in their skin. Black people do still burn and do still get skin cancer however, just that their at a lower risk of it. Bottom line here is to get some sun regularly and then cover up! I am not positive that sunblock stops the production of Vitamin D so you might want to ask that question. Good luck!
1122470
I have to be careful with sunscreen too; it can irritate my skin.  I'm going to make the suggestions I'm sure you've already tried.  Try PABA-free baby sunscreen.. and also look at the active ingredients listed on the label.  You might be able to find one particular kind of sunblock (like zinc oxide) that will work.  If all this fails, go to your doctor - he/she might be able to help or refer you to a dermatologist.
234175
You might want to go with little one-use packages of sunscreen. You can get a box of 12 for $9 here:\nhttp://www.duluthtrading.com/42170.aspx
504235
The higher the number, the more protected you are.  But lower numbers let you get a better tan.\nAs for me- I always go with an SPF 50.  Stay protected against skin cancer!!!!!