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Protecting your skin from the sun is of the utmost importance. Skin cancer is a very common form of cancer that can actually be prevented by proper skincare when you are exposed to the sun. When you have hair on top of your head you really don’t need to think about sunscreen for your scalp. Your hair does that. But what if you are a bald man or are going bald?
The importance of sunscreen for bald men cannot be overstated. Sunburns are miserable but can you imagine having a sunburn on top of your head? When you are bald and don’t take precautions when you are in the sun, you are setting yourself up for a painful week. Not to mention you could get sun poisoning or do irreparable damage to your skin.
In the article, we are going to talk about some important aspects of sunscreen for bald men. Why sunscreen is necessary, how to choose the right sunscreen, the best sunscreens for bald men, and how to properly use sunscreen. All of these things will help you get the best advantage from the use of the sunscreen that you choose and avoid some mistakes that are easy to make.
Is Sunscreen Really Necessary?
You may be wondering if sunscreen is really necessary. What if you just wear a hat that or bandana that has UV protection? That is definitely an option. Not only is it an option but it is a good option. However, you may not always be able to wear a hat.
It is advisable to wear sunscreen on your face every day no matter how much sun you are planning to get that day. This goes for your scalp as well. If you are bald just imagine that you have two faces. Your scalp needs to have as much, or more care, as your face does.
If you have a sunscreen that you use daily on your face then you can use that on your scalp as long as you won’t have prolonged exposure to the sun. If you are going to be in the sun for a long period of time on any particular day then you may need something stronger.
Keep in mind that your scalp is directly facing the sun. The rate of exposure will naturally be greater.
How to Choose the Right Sunscreen
There are some things that you need to consider when you are trying to choose the right sunscreen to protect your exposed head. Many of these things are what you would think about when choosing a sunscreen for any purpose. However, you may not have really given much thought to them.
It is okay if you have never thought about these qualities in sunscreen and how they affect the effectiveness of the sunscreen. But now is the time to start thinking more seriously about them. Your scalp will thank you.
SPF
SPF refers to a sunscreen’s ability to protect you from UVB rays. Different levels of SPF will protect to a different degree. That being said, there is only a 1% difference between SPF 30 and SPF 50. But 1% could be a big deal depending on how long you are going to be in the son. The exposure that your scalp will be greater than other parts of your body so it is wise to go with a higher SPF.
Water Resistance
This is a big one. Using a sunscreen that is not water-resistant is not a great choice. Why is that? Well for one, your head is likely to sweat. That sweat could remove the sunscreen and not only render it ineffective but also sweat it into your eyes. Eyes filled with sunscreen would ruin anyone’s day.
If you are swimming or at the beach then you need a water-resistant sunscreen for obvious reasons. You don’t want to swim away your newly applied sunscreen. Most sunscreens are water-resistance to some extent but the label will tell you how water-resistant it is.
Broad Spectrum
SPF only protects from UVB unless you get a sunscreen that is broad-spectrum. Broad-spectrum will not only protect against UVB rays but will also protect against UVA rays. This will give your scalp some added protection as you soak up that vitamin D.
Physical or Chemical
There is a difference between using physical sunscreen and chemical sunscreen. You may be wondering what the difference is. It isn’t really as obvious as what you would think. What makes these types of sunscreen different is the method by which they protect you from the sun.
A chemical sunscreen actually uses the chemicals in the sunscreen to absorb the UV rays as they soak into the skin. The issue with chemical sunscreens is that they usually have chemicals that interact negatively with our biology.
Physical sunscreen is different in that it doesn’t absorb the rays. This type of sunscreen reflects the rays before they even reach your skin. It is a good idea to look for physical sunscreens because the ingredients are safer. Especially when applying the sunscreen to such a delicate area of your body such as your scalp.
Best Sunscreens for Bald Men
There are so many sunscreens on the market that you may be overwhelmed by the idea of making a choice. How could you possibly choose the right sunscreen for your scalp? What if you make the wrong choice and the consequence is a bald head as red as a tomato?
Those are really valid issues so we are going to help you out. There are some products that are going to be better for protecting your scalp. We don’t recommend that you use these of all of your kids or even your whole body. Reserve these bottles of liquid could for your scalp.
Badger
This brand of sunscreen is a broad-spectrum physical sunscreen. Because of these two qualities, it is great for bald heads. It is also water-resistant for up to 80 minutes so feel free to enjoy yourself for up to two hours before reapplying.
This line of skincare products has different items available for both children and adults so your whole family can be protected. Plus your hormones are safe from chemical interaction.
Think Sport
Another great product is Think Sport. This sunscreen is similar to Badger. It is a physical sunscreen and is great for everyday use. This product is also water-resistant for 80 minutes as well as broad-spectrum.
What we really love is that there are three options for applying. There is the traditional lotion, the stick, and the balm. This formula is very thick so you need to make sure you rub it in properly.
Cerave
Cerave is a great sunscreen for bald heads. There are a few reasons but the top reason is because it is a mineral sunscreen. We love any product that won’t mess with our hormones and endocrine systems. We want to keep our skin safe while keeping our bodies healthy.
Cerave has a whole line of skincare products. You probably recognize the name because of their lotions and body washes. That same quality can be found in the brands sunscreen as well.
Eucerin
Eucerin is another product that you may recognize. They have a whole line of lotions and other skincare products that people trust. They specialize in different skin conditions. This product is great for daily use on your scalp and can even treat any scalp dryness or other conditions you may have.
This sunscreen isn’t as water-resistant as the others on the list but as long as you reapply you will be fine.
Green People
If you are a person that uses all organic products and really appreciates a company that is dedicated to organic and environmentally friendly skincare, then you will love this company. These broad-spectrum sunscreens will keep you protected and let you feel great about what you are putting on your body.
The sunscreen is filled with amazing antioxidants that will help keep your skin and body healthy. Just don’t forget to reapply.
How to Use Sunscreen
You may be wondering why we put this section here. Surely we know that at this point in your life you know how to properly use sunscreen? Yes, we are sure that you know how to apply the sunscreen to your head, however, there are other aspects that may not be so intuitive.
Apply Before Sun Exposure
Sometimes this is a given and sometimes people really think that sunscreen will be just as effective in applied in the sun. Sunscreen needs time to set especially in you are going to be in the sun for a long period of time. And since we have already established that your bald head will be overly exposed you really need to apply before sun exposure.
Applying around 20 minutes before you go out into the sun will be great but 10 minutes would be okay as well.
Pay Attention to Expiration Dates
Sunscreen has a really long shelf life. It will work at full strength for three years which means you can keep it year after year if there is still some left. If it is older than three years old then it will not work as well and you will likely burn.
The sunscreen won’t go bad in the same way food does but it won’t be very effective anymore.
Start With a Small Amount
It is tempting to apply a lot of sunscreen. More is better, right? Not really with sunscreen. It will work very well as long as your skin is covered even in a light layer. The best practice when it comes to applying sunscreen is to start with a little bit and add more as needed.
Depending on the sunscreen, a small amount may go a long way. Don’t waste the sunscreen unnecessarily because you are afraid to burn.
Reapply, Reapply, Reapply
You should get in the habit of reapplying sunscreen, not only to your scalp but also to the rest of your exposed skin, about every two hours. If the sun is really intense or you don’t have any other protection, such as a hat, you may want to apply more often.
Getting a terrible sunburn because you failed to reapply sunscreen could really put a damper on the rest of your vacation or weekend.
