October 2011

What are Antioxidants?

Submitted by Catherine on Sun, 10/09/2011 - 12:01

What are Antioxidants?

Antioxidants help fight Free Radical Damage.  Free Radicals are a normal occurrence, every time you breathe in oxygen there are Free Radicals created.

Free Radicals are cells that have one electron attached. To be stable, they require two electrons, and will steal the second from a healthy cell.  Once the Free Radical is satisfied, this leads to the death and putrefication of the once healthy cell. 

What does the SPF rating really mean?

Submitted by Catherine on Sun, 10/09/2011 - 11:53

           The meaning of the SPF rating is a little confusing. Let me see if I can clear up some of the mystery.

Let’s use an analogy to make it easier to understand.

You go out in the sun, and in 10 minutes your skin gets red . If you use a sunscreen rating of SPF 10, it will take 100 minutes to receive the same damage. Using a sunscreen rating of SPF 50 will give you 500 minutes before your skin becomes red.  Does that make more sense?

Kinds of Sun Protection

Submitted by Catherine on Sun, 10/09/2011 - 11:44

There are two distinct types of Sun Screen, Chemical Sunscreens and Physical Sunscreens. Since sunscreens are labeled with 'Active' and 'Inactive' Ingredients, they are easy to identify. Of course, it is the 'Active Ingredients that we will be talking about.