How does sunscreen work?

It’s a sunny summer day. Your family is going to the beach! You want to protect your skin. You put on sunscreen. Sunscreen stops the Sun’s rays from reaching your skin. But, how?

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It depends on the ingredients (materials used to make something). Some sunscreens work by blocking the Sun’s rays. The ingredients reflect (to bounce off of a surface) the Sun’s rays. It’s like when a ball bounces off a wall. 

Some sunscreens work by absorbing (to take in) the Sun’s rays. It’s like when a sponge soaks up water. The Sun’s rays do not reach your skin.

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Sunscreen helps protect people from sunburn (the skin’s reaction to absorbing too much of the Sun’s rays). Ouch! Sunburn hurts. The skin gets red. The skin will get better. But, some skin cells (the basic unit of all living things) may be damaged forever. 

Sunscreen only works when it’s covering your skin! You put on sunscreen in the morning. Do you have to put sunscreen on again? Yes, especially after you go swimming!

What Can You Do? What type of sunscreen do you use? How could you find out?

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