Hi I am Doctor Sirisha Singh.
I am a consultant dermatologist and cosmetic
dermatologist.
There are lots of sunscreens available in
the market.
Almost all the sunscreens have a combination
of chemical filters and physical filters.
Chemical filters react with the surface of
the skin and reduce the effect of ultraviolet
damage on the skin.
A physical sunscreen is one which has either
zinc oxide or titanium oxide.
They are marketed as zinc oxide containing
sunscreens.
This appears very white and thick and pasty
and need to be applied like a paste on the
surface of the skin.
What the zinc oxide and titanium oxide containing
sunscreens do is they physically block off
the ultraviolet light from damaging the skin.
The sunscreens will be labled as zinc oxide
containing sunscreens.
The zinc oxide sunscreens are particularly
suitable in children.
Children between about six month of age to
three years of age or even up to ten to twelve
years of age.
As they do not have any chemicals which could
potentially damage the tender skin at this
age.
In adults... some adults may also be suitable
for use of a physical sunscreen only.
These are particularly people who have either
reacted to a sunscreen and have developed
an allergic reaction to a sunscreen or there
are some people who when they put on a sunscreen
and go out in the sun their skin conversely
darkens on exposure to UV light outside because
of the chemical reaction between the sun and
the skin.
If you have noticed this happening to you,
you perhaps might be more suited to use a
physical sunscreen which contains either zinc
oxide or titanium oxide.
So to summarize I would say a zinc oxide sunscreen
is suitable in children with tender skin who
do not...
whose skin you do not wish to expose to harsh
chemicals and it is also suitable in adults
who have a sensitive skin who have reacted
to a chemical sunscreen or people who have
had a darkening of their skin on use of chemical
sunscreens.
If you wish to get any further details please
feel free to contact me.
My contact details are in the description
box below.
