No sun protection plan for visitors to Southeast Asia can ever be complete without the mainstay of summer vacation: sunscreen. Sunscreens are absolutely important: they contain ingredients that absorb certain UV wavelengths, protecting the skin from UV damage.
If you're planning to go to Southeast Asia during the summer months, you should get sunscreen or sunblock with the following tips in mind.
Use sunscreen with an SPF of 40 and above.
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Each sunscreen product is assigned a sun protection factor (SPF), a number that refers to the relative sunburn protection offered by the product. An SPF of 15 means that it takes 15 times longer for sunscreen-protected skin to get sunburned, compared to sunscreen-free skin. If one's unprotected skin gets sunburned after 20 minutes' sun exposure, for instance, adding an SPF 15 sunscreen extends the grace period to five hours.
SPF 40 sunscreens like Life-flo 5k1n Natural Sunscreen (compare prices) can absorb more than 97.5 percent of UVB radiation. In the intense UV radiation you'll encounter in the tropics of Vietnam or Singapore, anything less is asking for trouble.
Get a broad spectrum sunscreen.
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SPF factor refers only to protection against a certain spectrum of ultraviolet light called UVB, the type of UV that causes sunburn. Another spectrum of UV called UVA causes photoaging effects, and is not blocked by all sunscreens. (More on the difference between the two in this About.com article: UVA and UVB Rays.)
Make sure both types of UV are covered by your sunscreen; products like Banana Boat Ultra Defense Broad Spectrum UVA Lotion SPF 100 (compare prices) and Spectrum C - Sunguard SPF 30 (compare prices) block against both UVA and UVB with ease.
Factor in sensitive skin.
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Certain types of sunscreen can burn or itch on sensitive skin, especially around the eyes. If this is your lot in life, use sunscreens with opaque minerals like titanium oxide and zinc oxide, not transparent chemical preparations like avobenzone. The downside to these products is the chalky cast the dried product leaves on your skin. (Read about Active Sunscreen Ingredients.)
Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunblock Lotion (compare prices) fits in this category - it's non-greasy and fragrance-free, using a healthy dose of titanium dioxide to block harmful sun rays.
