Is SPF 50 Actually That Much Better Than SPF 30? The Answer May Surprise You.

There’s a figure that has been circulating on the internet for years, stating that SPF 50 provides only about 1% more protection than SPF 30. While that figure is factual, people have been doing the SPF math all wrong. Although the percentage is small, it has a much bigger impact than we can imagine.HuffPost spoke to three board-certified dermatologists, including two Mohs surgeons (specialists in skin cancer), to explain what that means and help determine the type of sunscreen we should use and why.What does SPF 50 do?SPF stands for “sun protection factor” and refers to the amount of protection against UVB rays. Before picking a sunscreen, “You need to know what percentage of the sun’s UVB rays are being filtered. For instance, SPF 15 is 93%, SPF 30 is 97%, SPF 50 is 98% and SPF 100 is 99%,” said Dr. Kenneth Mark,a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon.“Numerically, there isn’t much of a difference between SPF 50 and SPF 30 but in real-world use, it is significantly better” said Dr. Margarita Lolis, a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New Jersey. “Most people under-apply sunscreen, which lowers the actual protection against UVB rays. SPF 50 gives a better buffer in my opinion.” The protection against UVA rays isn’t measured in the same way. “The SPF number has nothing to do with UVA protection,” Mark said.In the U.S, the Food and Drug Administration mainly considers zinc and titanium dioxide-based sunscreens as offering adequate protection against both UVA and UVB rays. However, a broad-spectrum sunscreen is what you should be on the lookout for. Outside the U.S., you can look for a “PA rating,” which is common in Japan, or a “star rating” in Europe.“While SPF 50 offers only 1% extra filtering of the sun’s UVB rays compared to SPF 30, if someone would burn in five minutes of sun exposure without any SPF, an SPF of 30 would allow them to not burn for 150 minutes, and an SPF 50 would allow them not to burn for 250 minutes,” explained Mark. In this example, we can see the difference between the two is significant. “The SPF is measured by checking how long it would take skin to get red with sun exposure,” said Dr. Kiran Mian, a board-certified dermatologist at Hudson Dermatology and Laser Surgery in New York.“Numerically, there isn’t much of a difference between SPF 50 and SPF 30 but in real-world use, it is significantly better,” said Dr. Margarita Lolis, a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon.“The UVB value is calculated as the ratio of how much time it takes UVB radiation for skin to get red with sunscreen, divided by how much time it takes for skin to get red without that sunscreen,” Mian explained.“The main idea is that the higher the number, the extra layer of protection of the typical margin of error of not applying properly or reapplying enough,” noted Mark.Does SPF 100 offer double the protection of SPF 50?No — that’s a myth, as sunscreen protection isn’t cumulative in that way. “SPF is not a linear scale; it is logarithmic,” Lolis said. “SPF ratings aren’t proportional to strength. SPF 100 isn’t double the SPF 50. In reality it offers 1% more protection.”“SPF 50 allows for 1 out of every 50 UVB rays to enter, while SPF 100 allows 1 out of every 100 UVB rays to enter,” Mian explained.The same goes for combining more than one sunscreen, thinking this will offer more combined protection. This is simply not true, explained Mian: “If you apply an SPF 50 on top of an SPF 30, it does not equal SPF 80. You are protected by the higher of the SPFs.”When is SPF 30 good enough?“If someone has medium to dark skin, does not usually burn, and has never had skin cancer, SPF 30 is sufficient,” noted Mian.People with dark skin have a natural protection due to the increased melanin in their skin, but this isn’t an absolute protection from UVB rays, says Lolis. “Cumulative UV damage contributes to photo aging as well as skin cancers rarely, and dark-skin individuals are more prone to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation” she added. Even if you opt for an SPF 30, you should still be careful in higher-risk parts of the body, such as the palms of hands, soles of feet, and lighter parts of the body, noted Mark.On the other hand, an SPF 50 is highly recommended in the following cases: for children, people who burn easily, anyone who has prolonged sun exposure (beach or a hike), people with a history of skin cancer, melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, acne or rosacea, and people with sensitive skin.Additionally, an SPF 50 is preferred to SPF 30 for anyone on photosensitive medications, those who are immunosuppressed, and those who have recently had procedures (like lasers, peels or microneedling).Sunscreen misconceptions“Theoretically, a higher SPF does offer longer protection. However, things like sweating, rubbing the skin, or swimming make SPF not last as long, so reapplication is key,” Mian said.All experts agreed that most of the time people aren’t applying enough sunscreen to reach the advertised level of SPF. For example, three people could all apply an SPF 50, and one could get SPF 50-level protection, one SPF 30 protection and one SPF 20 protection, noted Mark.Paying attention to the amount of sunscreen applied is of the utmost importance. “You need 2 milligrams per square centimeter of skin to get the listed level of sun protection, which is about 1/4 teaspoon for the face and one shot glass for a full adult body. Since most people are not measuring their sunscreen before applying it, I tell my patients to apply two full finger lengths of sunscreen for their face and neck,” Mian said.“The classic example was from about 30 years ago, where we learned the typical person applying an SPF 15 — the most popular maximum at the time — was actually getting an SPF of 4! Therefore, if you do not apply enough, you do not get the stated level of protection,” Mark said.Another issue is thinking a higher SPF will last all day, potentially leading to people skipping reapplication, noted Lolis.“Using a higher SPF isn’t the only reason people don’t reapply,” Mark said. “Regardless, it is very challenging to perfectly apply initially and to reapply properly throughout the day, so the higher SPF does help protect somewhat against that margin of error,” he added. Verdict: Is SPF 50 Actually That Much Better Than SPF 30?Although SPF 50 (and SPF 100) is better than SPF 30 in terms of the overall protection of the skin, it may create a false sense of security, leading people to forgo reapplication and think they are fully protected for longer.“Application quantity is so extremely important and one of the biggest pitfalls that patients fall into. When you do not apply enough sunscreen, you are drastically reducing its effectiveness,” noted Lolis.A higher SPF value is very significant if you are prone to skin cancer, have very light skin prone to sunburn, or are in strong sun for a prolonged period, Mian said.No matter the SPF you pick, ensure you apply the appropriate amount and reapply every two hours, or sooner if you’ve been swimming, sweating or exercising. Adding another layer of protection, like an umbrella, hat and UV clothing is also helpful. 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