Sunscreens with higher sun protection factor (SPF) do not prevent the skin from getting tanned, although they do provide protection against sunburn, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said.
The FDA made the announcement in a post on its Web site dedicated to dispelling rumors to clear a common misconception about sunscreens. The post is titled: “Is it more difficult to get tanned if I apply sunscreens with higher SPFs?”
For example, if the skin normally gets burned after 10 minutes in the sun, applying an SPF 15 sunscreen allows the person to stay in the sun without getting sunburned for about 150 minutes, it said, giving a formula of 10 minutes multiplied by the SPF of 15.
However, skin damage, melanin pigmentation and tanning can still occur even if the skin is not burned, the FDA said.
Levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation this month reached “very high” to “extreme” levels nationwide, according to the WHO’s UV Index.
The FDA advised people not to only look for high SPFs when choosing sunscreens, but also take into consideration their skin type, reaction to sunlight, the activity they take part in, the intensity of sunlight and the amount used when choosing and applying sunscreens.
However, sunscreens play only an assistive role in protecting the skin against UV rays, so people should also wear long-sleeve UV-protective clothing, a hat and sunglasses, and use an umbrella, and avoid going outdoors when UV levels are at “very high” or “extreme” levels, it said.
UV radiation is classified into three types according to their wavelengths: UVC has a short wavelength of 200 nanometers (nm) to 290nm, but it is completely filtered by the atmosphere, UVB has a medium wavelength of 290nm to 320nm and is mostly absorbed by the ozone layer, but the rays that reach the Earth’s surface can cause inflammation, redness and burns on the skin, and significantly increase the risk of developing skin cancer, the FDA said.
UVA has a longer wavelength of 320nm to 400nm and can penetrate deep into the skin, causing damage to the structural components of the dermis, including collagen and elastic fibers, and is responsible for tanning, melanin pigmentation, skin aging and wrinkling, and can increase the risk of skin cancer, it said.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong effective from 5:30pm, while local governments canceled school and work for tomorrow. A land warning is expected to be issued tomorrow morning before it is expected to make landfall on Wednesday, the agency said. Taoyuan, and well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties canceled work and school for tomorrow, as well as mountainous district of Taipei and New Taipei City. For updated information on closures, please visit the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration Web site. As of 5pm today, Fung-wong was about 490km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan's southernmost point.
Almost a quarter of volunteer soldiers who signed up from 2021 to last year have sought early discharge, the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center said in a report. The report said that 12,884 of 52,674 people who volunteered in the period had sought an early exit from the military, returning NT$895.96 million (US$28.86 million) to the government. In 2021, there was a 105.34 percent rise in the volunteer recruitment rate, but the number has steadily declined since then, missing recruitment targets, the Chinese-language United Daily News said, citing the report. In 2021, only 521 volunteers dropped out of the military, the report said, citing
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Kaohsiung at 1pm today, the Central Weather Administration said. The epicenter was in Jiasian District (甲仙), 72.1km north-northeast of Kaohsiung City Hall, at a depth of 7.8km, agency data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in Kaohsiung and Tainan, where it measured a 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale. It also measured a 3 in parts of Chiayi City, as well as Pingtung, Yunlin and Hualien counties, data showed.
Nearly 5 million people have signed up to receive the government’s NT$10,000 (US$322) universal cash handout since registration opened on Wednesday last week, with deposits expected to begin tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. After a staggered sign-up last week — based on the final digit of the applicant’s national ID or Alien Resident Certificate number — online registration is open to all eligible Taiwanese nationals, foreign permanent residents and spouses of Taiwanese nationals. Banks are expected to start issuing deposits from 6pm today, the ministry said. Those who completed registration by yesterday are expected to receive their NT$10,000 tomorrow, National Treasury
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