The Amount Of Sunscreen You Should Use For Maximum Protection

The Amount Of Sunscreen You Should Use For Maximum Protection

Many of us have probably experienced squeezing out what we think might be way too much sunscreen, and so we desperately try to smear the extra on the closest person, or shove some back into the bottle (with no luck).

As it turns out, we may actually need all of that…and more.

According to this article by the Skin Cancer Foundation, the general recommendation is 2 milligrams of sunscreen per square centimeter of skin. In plainer terms, that’s about 30g of sunscreen, or enough to fill one shot glass (or two tablespoons). What’s more, you should save one small dollop for the face alone.

If you use a non-cream type sunscreen, such as a spray, apply enough until an even sheen appears on the skin. The trouble with sprays is, you can’t really know whether you’ve used enough of it.

The American Academy of Dermatology suggests using liberal amounts, but avoiding spraying directly into your face. Instead, spray your hands first and then apply that to your face.

How much sunscreen should I be using on my face and body? [Skin Cancer Foundation]


The Cheapest NBN 50 Plans

Here are the cheapest plans available for Australia’s most popular NBN speed tier.

At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

Comments


One response to “The Amount Of Sunscreen You Should Use For Maximum Protection”