The Origin And Purpose Of Sunblock

Sunblock was made as a way of protecting skin from sunburn and damage. These mixtures are very helpful in preventing sun damage and have helped to prevent millions of painful sunburns over the year. Despite common understanding, sunblock is not the same as sunscreen.

Sunblock is more effective than sunscreen because it provides an opaque cover for skin that completely blocks both types of UV rays. Sunblock works almost as an extra layer of skin that when applied correctly will completely mask your body from the sun’s rays. Sunscreen is generally lower in SPF and will allow for some tanning; therefore it will allow the body to take in some of the sun’s harmful rays.

The original sunblock formula was created in 1938. Franz Greiter, whose company still exists today, created the first known sunblock product. The concept for such a product came about when Franz suffered a very excruciating sunburn. Franz Greiter’s formula is acknowledged as the first sunblock, but it was not the first to sell successfully. It was nearlyt ten years later before sunblock actually hit the store shelves.

During WWII, a sunblock known as Red Vet Pet became the first largely produced product that claimed to prevent sunburn. The peculiar name came after Red Vet Petrolatum, the core ingredient in the formula. In the 1950s a company we know today as Coppertone bought the product, renamed it, and broadened its appeal with mass marketing.

The original version of sun protection was sticky and very similar to red-toned petroleum jelly. It was not water or sweat proof and the protection level was pretty low. Since the true effects of UV rays were not widely known during this point in history sun blocks and screens were not very popular at first.

The versions of sun protection we use today are much more effective than their predecessors. Today it is recommended that kids and babies use around SPF50 of protection. Franz Greiter invented the SPF rating in the early sixties as a way of measuring how effective a product was. The initial versions of sun protection were rated with an SPF of about 2.

Sun blocking products today are much more popular and much nicer. Though there are some controversies in regards to blocks, they are recommended by the American Cancer Society to protect skin from dangerous cancers caused by the sun. As time progresses the ozone layer fades away more and more, increasing the risks of UV exposure and need for sun protection. Lucky for us, the products on the market today are very effective and constantly getting improved.

Select the best sunblock at sunblock lotions