We selected two essential keywords from your question, "sunscreen SPF" and plugged them right in to Yahoo!'s search box. The results came in the form of a web site from Yahoo!'s directory, in a category called Public Health and Safety > Sun Safety. We made a quick mental note of the category path (telling us where in the directory the site was located), and then headed off to Sun Protection.org, a public service web site from the L'Or�al Research Group.
The site was soothingly informative and non-commercial. On a hot pink glossary page we found a definition of SPF: it stands for "sun protection factor" and it's a measure of how long you can stay exposed to the sun without burning. We learned that if you begin to tan or burn after 10 minutes, an SPF of 15 extends your protection 15 times longer. Ouch. This explanation did not entirely relieve our confusion.
So we clicked on to the Solutions page where we read that protection was simply "a matter of putting barriers between sunlight and our skin." SPF numbers serve as a subjective guideline that depends on your complexion or skin type, the strength of the sunlight, the type of sunscreen you use (gel, cream, lotion, or oil), and the amount you apply. Keep in mind that researchers use a full ounce of sunscreen for each test application and advise you to apply sunscreen every couple of hours, more frequently if you've been swimming or sweating, if it's windy, if you're at a high altitude or in the tropics.
We went back to our original search result page in order to absorb some more information from the Sun Safety category. At the top of the page, we spotted a link to Yahoo! Health: Summer Sun Safety. An updated version of an article from FDA Consumer Magazine,Seven Steps to Safer Sunning explains the how and why of skin protection. There's also a chart with numbers called Sunburn and Tanning History and Recommended SPF*.
A page from Dr. Weill reviews the latest FDA regulations for sunscreen labeling and SPF guidelines. The good doctor emphasizes the use of sunscreen products that block both UVA and UVB rays, cites recommendations from the Skin Cancer Foundation, which advises everyone to use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more, and a reminder from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) to apply sunscreen generously and often.
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