What is UV?

When sunlight reaches the surface of the Earth it is made up of three types of radiation. These include infrared, visible light, and ultraviolet (UV). UV radiation can’t be seen nor felt but it is a major driver of skin damage that can lead to premature aging and skin cancer. 

UV radiation consists of UV A and UV B. While we need to be mindful of both UV A and UV B it is UV B that is the most damaging. UV B will penetrate the outer layer of the skin called the epidermus where it reacts with cell DNA. With prolonged exposure to UV B the cells ultimately lose their ability to protect the skin via naturally occurring melanin. This can lead to sun burns, inflammation, and ultimately skin cancer. UV A can also cause skin damage but it tends to result in premature aging as opposed to cancer risk by damaging the protective collagen component of the skin.

In reasonable and moderate amounts sunlight is healthy for us. It promotes production of vitamin D and can be helpful in certain immune based skin conditions. Nevertheless it is generally a good idea to take reasonable protective measures against prolonged exposure to the sun. 

Does Spot My UV work with UV A and UV B?

Yes Spot My UV stickers work in direct outdoor sunlight for both types of UV rays. The sticker turns purple when exposed to UV sunlight. The sticker turns clear when UV is blocked by sunscreen or when UV is not present (for example when you are indoors or behind a window).

Is Spot My UV safe for kids?

Yes Spot My UV stickers are hypoallergenic and latex-free. The stickers are a transparent, medical-grade adhesive substrate provided by a leading healthcare and life science solutions advanced manufacturing facility in New York that has been in business for over 100 years. They have been our partner from the beginning. 

Will Spot My UV stay on at the beach or during exercise?

Spot My UV is designed and tested to be sweat and swim-resistant. For the best adhesion it is important to make sure your skin is clean and dry prior to applying the sticker. This means no sunscreens, lotions, or creams before you place the sticker on your skin. Like most use cases this requires some very basic common sense. The more care you take upfront to apply your sticker to clean and dry skin the better and longer it will adhere. The more rigorous your activity the more risk to adherence over an overly extended period of time. Also please remember that the Dermatrue layer is designed to mimic your skin. Accordingly, just as sunscreen wears off more quickly in the water or with sweat, your sticker will turn purple more quickly under these conditions. 

What sunscreen do you suggest?

We suggest following the recommendations of The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) which include using any high quality broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least 30 SPF. They further suggest ensuring that all of your skin exposed to the sun is covered and to use at least 1 oz. of sunscreen to make sure your entire skin is covered. Spot My UV is compatible with all types of FDA approved sunscreens including all sprays, lotions and creams that absorb into your skin and are therefore absorbed by the Dermatrue skin-mimicking layer.

What do the purple and clear versions of the sticker represent?

Spot My UV stickers are purple out of the package. Follow the instructions and apply the sticker to clean and dry skin and expose it to direct sunlight (outside). Apply sunscreen appropriately to the sticker and your body. The sticker will turn clear when sufficient sunscreen has been applied. This indicates UV is being blocked. As your sunscreen protection diminishes the sticker will gradually turn back to purple indicating a need for sunscreen reapplication.

A Friendly Reminder: Be your own sun safety advocate.

Remember to be your own sun safety advocate. Spot My UV can help you get into a regular sun safety practice. Our product is designed to help alert you to the need to reapply sunscreen and in so doing build healthy outdoor practices that can increase your enjoyment of simply being outside and being active. The patented Dermatrue technology exists nowhere else in the world and by bringing it to the market our mission is to help users build healthy regular sunscreen habits and build advocacy for sun safety and a love for being outdoors.