By mid-June, Southern Oregon settles into its long, bright summer — and the Rogue Valley earns some of the highest UV days of the year. Between the elevation, the clear skies, and a lifestyle built around rivers, trails, and vineyards, our patients accumulate far more sun than they often realize. Sunscreen is the single most effective everyday tool for preventing skin cancer and slowing visible aging. But the wall of options at the store makes a simple decision feel complicated. Here's how a dermatology provider actually thinks about it.
Most of the marketing on a sunscreen bottle doesn't matter. Three things do. Look for broad-spectrum, which means it protects against both UVA rays (the ones tied to aging and deeper damage) and UVB rays (the ones that burn). Look for SPF 30 or higher; SPF 30 blocks about 97% of UVB, and going higher adds modest protection but never makes a sunscreen bulletproof. And if you'll be near water or sweating, look for water-resistant, labeled for either 40 or 80 minutes. If a product has all three, the rest is personal preference. You can safely ignore claims like "instant glow" or "anti-pollution" — they aren't what protects your skin. One number worth a second look is the expiration date, since sunscreen loses potency over time and last summer's half-used bottle may not be doing what you think.
Sunscreens fall into two broad families, and both work when used correctly. Mineral (or "physical") sunscreens use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to sit on the skin and deflect UV. They start working immediately, tend to be gentler on sensitive or rosacea-prone skin, and are our usual recommendation for children, post-procedure skin, and anyone prone to irritation. Chemical sunscreens absorb UV and often feel lighter and more cosmetically elegant, which makes them easy to wear daily.
The best sunscreen is, honestly, the one you'll actually reapply. If a mineral formula feels heavy or leaves a white cast, a well-formulated chemical option you enjoy wearing will protect you far better than a "better" sunscreen sitting in a drawer.
The problem usually isn't which sunscreen you bought — it's how much, and how often. Most people apply roughly a quarter to a half of the amount used in testing, which means real-world SPF is often a fraction of the number on the bottle. For the face, neck, and ears, think a nickel-sized amount; for the whole body, about a shot glass full. Then reapply every two hours when you're outdoors, and after swimming or heavy sweating. A powder or tinted mineral SPF you can dust over makeup makes midday reapplication realistic rather than aspirational.
Summit carries physician-grade sun protection because formulation quality genuinely varies. EltaMD is our everyday workhorse — its broad-spectrum zinc-based formulas are lightweight enough to wear under makeup and well tolerated by sensitive skin. Colorescience offers tinted and brush-on mineral SPF that doubles as light coverage and makes reapplication effortless. Tinted mineral options have a bonus: the iron oxides that give them color also help shield against visible light, which is useful for anyone managing melasma or stubborn pigmentation that flares every summer.
No sunscreen replaces shade, a wide-brimmed hat, UPF clothing, and sunglasses — especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when UV peaks. And sun protection works alongside, not instead of, regular skin checks. If you're spending the summer outdoors and it's been more than a year since your last full-body skin exam, this is a good moment to schedule one. The same sun that makes a Rogue Valley summer beautiful is also its main long-term risk to your skin.