Effective sunscreen to combat UV rays: Mineral or Chemical Sunscreen

Do you experience sunburns, or tanning while moving around the sun? Global warming and ozone depletion are intensifying these situations where people who don’t take precautions tend to develop skin cancers. So, what can be done to shield yourself from the sun? Humans have come a long way from living in stones to building skyscrapers. Of course, there is a solution to walk around the sun without having to develop skin conditions and unbearable pain from skin burns.

The simple solution would be the effective use of sunscreen lotion or creams. It isn’t a magic spell but an innovative compound that offers the ultimate protection against the sun. Sunscreen products have helped combat the sun’s harmful rays effectively.

The advancements and research in the production of sunscreen technology have helped scientists crack the most effective formula. The first-ever sunscreen was called Chemical Sunscreen. However, chemical sunscreen has its limitations and may affect your skin due to the endothermic reaction. 

However, the introduction of Mineral Sunscreen, which is efficient and skin-friendly, allows you to ultimately filter out the sunlight affecting your skin.

So, 

What is sunscreen?

Before understanding the difference between Chemical Sunscreen and Mineral Sunscreen, one must understand how sunscreen works.

In theory, sunscreen acts as a protective barrier against the sun. It filters out the harmful UV rays that affect your skin and causes visible and non-visible effects like tanning and skin cancer, respectively. 

In the earlier days, when science was nascent, people used a physical protection barrier against the sun like an umbrella or a cap. Umbrellas were initially designed to protect you from the sun and not the rain. However, the latter is what many use the umbrella for.

Despite this being effective, would you constantly roam around with an umbrella or a scarf on your face or wear a cap per se. Is it annoying right? 

Therefore, sunscreen comes to help you ease out this trouble and provide the ultimate protection against the sun. 

Benefits of wearing sunscreen on the face every day

There are various benefits of applying sunscreen on your skin every day for medical purposes and enhancing your beauty. 

i. Prevention of Skin Cancer

The UVA and UVB rays of the sunlight are harmful. Therefore, applying sunscreen each day will minimize the risk of the incident sunlight penetrating your skin with harmful UV rays. In addition, since the mineral sunscreen blocks it before it passes the skin layer, you are not subjected to the risk of skin cancer. 

ii. Maintain your complexion

UV rays are responsible for causing skin burns and can affect your complexion. The skin burns are pretty painful, and dermatologists suggest that sunburns increase the possibility of skin cancer. Hence, while applying sunscreen daily, you will maintain your complexion and not experience the pain caused by skin burns.

iii. Reduce redness

You might be aware of the fact that UV rays damage the skin. Hence, to repair the skin, the body pumps in red blood cells to repair the damage, giving red skin appearance and inflammation on the face. You can avoid this scenario by applying sunscreen. 

iv. Prevent Aging

UV rays accelerate the aging process and develop wrinkles and fine lines on your skin. Using a sunscreen that is SPF 45 or above blocks the entry of sun rays entering your skin. Therefore, incorporating the habit of using the best sunscreen, like mineral sunscreen, will help you stay young and keep your skin rejuvenated. 

v. Avoid Dark spots.

It happens so that the sun rays can cause hyperpigmentation on the skin. Even though it’s a genetic condition, the UVA and the UVB rays can trigger it. Hence, you avoid hyperpigmented/ dark spots on your skin by using the best sunscreen in the market.

Hence, sunscreens are underrated and need to be incorporated into the daily skin routine, especially if you travel around. However, it is also essential to find the best sunscreen with a good SPF factor that is genuinely effective. As compared to chemical sunscreen, mineral sunscreen has additional benefits to the skin. 

Working of a Chemical Sunscreen

As mentioned earlier, chemical sunscreens were initially designed and were the first step towards the development of sunscreens. As the name suggests, Chemical Sunscreen is a chemical compound made with organic and carbon-based compounds. 

You might wonder, “Oh, it is organic; it is the best.” But, unfortunately, that’s not the case.

Chemical sunscreens use a chemical reaction to break down harmful sun rays. However, when the response is ended, it exerts a small amount of heat which is not significant enough but has a possibility of causing you irritation. Additionally, chemical sunscreens are designed in such a way that they penetrate the skin. Hence, there is no additional layer, but it kind of turns your skin into a heat converter.

In simpler words, the incident sunlight reacts with the chemical sunscreen and converts it into heat energy released from your skin. 

Working of a Mineral Sunscreen

So, mineral sunscreens are advanced versions of sunscreens that actually serve the purpose of protecting your skin against sunlight harmful UV. The mineral sunscreen is composed of Zinc and Titanium oxide. Both of these compounds may or may not be present together in the mineral sunscreen composition. Zinc oxide is known to have therapeutic properties to the skin and is used in various skin care products. Zinc is known to treat skin abrasions, infections, and more. Research has shown that Titanium oxide acts as a microscopic filter that allows filtration of the harmful sun rays. 

Now the combination of Zinc Oxide and Titanium oxide forms a protective barrier on the skin that reflects off the harmful UV rays from your skin. Hence, the UV rays that cause sunburns and skin cancer are not permitted to enter the skin layer. Therefore, there are no heat reactions involved, and your face is transformed into a reflecting surface. 

• Additional Benefits of Mineral Sunscreen.

      As mentioned earlier, the mineral sunscreen is carefully designed. As a result, it causes no harm to the skin and effectively protects the skin from harmful Ultraviolet rays. Here are some of the additional benefits of mineral sunscreen. 

• They don’t penetrate the skin.        

       Nanoparticle studies suggest that Zinc Oxide and Titanium oxide do not penetrate the skin and remain as an invisible layer on the stratum corneum of the skin and are termed as non-nano sunscreens. 

• Good for sensitive skin

      As compared to chemical sunscreen, mineral sunscreen doesn’t involve heat reactions. Hence, it is ideal for individuals with sensitive skin. 

• Broad Spectrum of Protection 

      It acts as an impenetrable membrane against a broad spectrum of UV rays, mainly UVA and UVB. 

• Longer protection

      Studies have shown that mineral sunscreen lasts longer on the skin and is effective instantly after application.

As observed, the clear winner for the most effective sunscreen that offers the ultimate protection is Mineral sunscreen. Your skin is transformed into a reflection that suffers like a mirror that bounces off the harmful UV rays. Additionally, the compounds used in it have therapeutic properties. 

Just for fun. Which sunscreen would you choose? Mineral sunscreen or Chemical sunscreen.

You are very well aware of the answer now.

Just for the record, it’s “Mineral Sunscreen.”