A Review of The Best Sunscreens for Rosacea in 2019

The National Rosacea Society reports that sun exposure is among the major causes of severe Rosacea flare-ups characterized by extreme redness of the skin and visible blood vessels.

Rosacea makes the skin ten times more sensitive to the sun than healthy skin and it is common for people affected by this condition to simply skip applying sunscreen before stepping outside. The truth is, a good sunscreen will not worsen your Rosacea; it should in fact be an important part of your daily facial routine.

Skipping this step only exposes you to dangerously high levels of UVA and UVB rays, which as you may have guessed do not do your Rosacea any good.

Choosing the Best Sunscreen for Rosacea

When looking for the best sunscreen for Rosacea, there are a couple of things you want to consider. For example, sunscreens with oils may be unsuitable but those that double up as a moisturizer may be a good choice.

You also want to be extra careful about ingredients in the sunscreen that could potentially trigger an allergic reaction. Here is a quick guide on what to look for when weighing your options for the best Rosacea sunscreen:

UVA and UVB Broad-Spectrum Protection

The sun emits two types of radiation that could potentially damage the skin. These are UVA and UVB.

Damage done to the skin by UVA rays may not be visible immediately. However, this type of radiation affects your skin cells causing DNA mutations that can led to rapid aging and expose you to an increased risk of cancer.

UVB rays cause instantaneous damage including painful sunburns. When buying sunscreen check that it offers protection against both UVA and UVB. If the type of protection is not clearly indicated on the product, it is likely that the sunscreen only offers UVB protection and will leave you exposed to the worst effects of UVA rays.

SPF Rating

Everyone knows that Sun Protection Factor (SPF) rating is something you need to look at when buying sunscreen.What many of us may not understand is the most appropriate rating that provides adequate protection against harmful sunrays.

So what does the SPF number really mean? Is the higher the number, the more the protection?

Basically, SPF measures the fraction of the sun a particular sunscreen can block out. So, you will find that SPF 20 means that just 1/20 of the radiation from the sun will reach your skin. This does not however mean that sunscreen with an SPF rating of 40 is twice as helpful as SPF 20. Also, just because you apply sunscreen with SPF 40 does not mean you can stay under the sun for an extra 20 minutes with just a single application.

Sunscreen SPF ratings typically range from 0 to100. The lower the SPF rating the lower the UVB protection offered.

However, once the rating gets to SPF 30 and upwards there isn’t much of a difference in terms the protection the product offers.

As such, the FDA recommends that SPF 30 is enough for most people unless you have extremely photosensitive skin in which case increasing your SPF should not cost you so much either.

Mineral V. Chemical Formulation

Different sunscreens have different ingredients for protecting the skin against harmful sunrays. Depending on the active ingredients, sunscreens can be categorized as either physical or chemical.

Physical sunscreens are also known as mineral sunscreens. They contain then natural ingredients such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, which forms a protective layer on the skin to reflect away the sun’s radiation.

Chemical sunscreens on the other hand contain chemical ingredients, which are absorbed into the skin and soak the sun’s rays before they can permeate into the inner layers of the skin.

For most people, and especially if you have Rosacea, mineral sunscreens are the best choice. Some of the chemicals contained in chemical sunscreens can affect your skin and make your condition worse.

According to FDA recommendations, it is best to avoid products containing the compound oxybenzone.

Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide

Sunscreens that contain titanium dioxide or high levels of zinc oxide usually leave streaks of white product on the skin. In particular, products containing titanium dioxide leave a stronger white streak than those containing zinc oxide. Titanium dioxide is also less effective at protecting you against UVA rays.

This does not mean that titanium dioxide is unnecessary; it does work best when combined with zinc but it is probably best not to use products containing titanium dioxide on your face.

Appropriate For Daily UseThere is a reason why people spend so much on creams and moisturizers for the face: the skin on the face is incredibly sensitive and it is important to use products that will not clog or irritate the skin.

Rosacea prone skin is particularly sensitive to sunshine and chemicals. So, you need to look at a sunscreen that also doubles as a moisturizer to avoid clogging your pores while giving your skin gentle treatment every day without worrying about any adverse effects.

The best way to go is to identify ingredients that you may be allergic to and to stay away from products containing these formulas.

We have researched a ton of products to be able to recommend the best sunscreen for Rosacea for you. Here are our top five recommendations:

Best Sunscreen for Rosacea

Conclusion

Our top pick for the best sunscreen for Rosacea is Block Island Suncare Natural Face Moisturizer SPF 30 for its effective broad-spectrum protection, light feel and its lower allergen formulation, which makes it perfect for sensitive skin.

For best results, apply an ounce of sunscreen all over the body if you plan to spend plenty of time outdoors. Apply the lotion about 30 minutes before leaving the house and reapply at least every two hours.