If you’re wondering whether you applied enough sunscreen, investing in a UV camera can certainly help. “Many use sunscreen regularly but still get sunburn, develop dark spots, [and] experience skin photoaging,” Bai says, mainly due to insufficient amounts of SPF and forgetting to reapply. UV cameras can serve as a visual reminder to cover all your bases, so to speak.
“These cameras may be beneficial as a fun tool to help individuals ensure that they are properly protecting their skin from the sun,” adds Rodney. That being said, you shouldn’t rely on these cameras entirely when it comes to proper sun protection. “Their accuracy and reliability may vary depending on the specific camera and its calibration,” Rodney notes, so you want to make sure you find a high-quality device.
They also aren’t completely foolproof: If it’s been over two hours since you’ve last reapplied, yet your skin still looks protected on camera, you should still go ahead and slather on. Regular sunscreen rules trump the trendy tools.
And if you’re thinking about using a camera to compare two sunscreen formulas side-by-side, think again! “Chemical and mineral sunscreens appear differently under UV light,” says Rodney, and one type isn’t better at protecting your skin than the other. Even mineral sunscreens themselves can show up slightly skewed depending on the emollients or tints in the formula, Bai tells me.
