Does SPF 100 Sunscreen Give You 100-Percent Protection Against the Sun?

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Let’s face it:sunscreen labelsare confusing.

woman in pool wearing sunglasses and sunscreen with a high SPF on a sunny day

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Surely it’s logical to just use the highest SPF it’s possible for you to find, right?

Well, yes and no.

After all, no sunscreen is 100 percent effective.

a Black woman in a white tank top applying sunscreen to her shoulder

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And what aboutKorean sunscreens, which have a “PA” rating?

What do SPF numbers mean?

It would seem intuitive that a higherSPF sunscreenwould mean more protection, right?

Sort of, but it’s more nuanced than that.

“The greater the SPF number, the more protected you areagainst sunburn,” he adds.

For the most part: yes.

The following day, the researchers measured the sun damage present on each side of the participants' faces.

That said, there’s more to choosing a sunscreen than an SPF number.

Read on for the words you should always look for on your label.

There is a catch (well, several) when it comes to higher SPF.

And, trust us, you should be worried about both.

There’s also the danger that a higher SPF number will impart a false sense of security.

That said, cosmetic chemistLaura Lam-Phauredoesn’t believe there is reason for alarm.

And experts confirm that all of this is null and void if we don’tapply sunscreen correctlyin the first place.

Therefore, he does recommend a higher SPF, but one with UVA protection built-in.

That said, there are small ways to optimize your sun protection.

“People typically only apply 25 to 50 percent of the rated amount.