PA++++ Explained: The Rating Your Sunscreen Probably Doesn't Have

You know SPF. But do you know PA++++? It's the UVA protection rating used across Asia — and it measures protection against the rays that cause ageing, pigmentation, and long-term skin damage. Most Western sunscreens don't display it. The best Korean ones have it at maximum.

When most people think about sun damage, they think about burning. Redness, peeling, the uncomfortable aftermath of too long on the beach. That's UVB radiation — and SPF (Sun Protection Factor) measures how well a sunscreen blocks it.

But there's another type of UV radiation that receives far less attention: UVA. These longer wavelength rays don't cause burning. You don't feel them. They penetrate deeper into the skin and cause damage that accumulates silently over years — collagen breakdown, dark spots, uneven skin tone, fine lines, and the loss of firmness that we associate with aged skin.

What SPF Doesn't Tell You

SPF only measures UVB protection. A sunscreen labelled SPF 50 could offer excellent UVB protection while providing almost no defence against UVA rays. You'd be preventing sunburn while completely unprotected against the type of sun damage that shows up on your face at 40.

This is one of the most significant gaps in how sunscreen is marketed in Western countries. Broad-spectrum labelling exists, but it's not standardised or granular — it just tells you some UVA protection is present, not how much.

The PA System — Japan and Korea's Solution

Japan developed the PA (Protection Grade of UVA) rating system and it's been widely adopted across Asia, including Korea. It gives consumers a clear, tiered indication of UVA protection:

PA++++ is the highest possible rating. It indicates that the sunscreen provides maximum protection against UVA radiation as measured by the persistent pigment darkening (PPD) method. A product must achieve a PPD value of 16 or higher to earn PA++++.

Why PA++++ Changes Everything

When you see PA++++ on a sunscreen, it tells you the formula has been designed and tested for comprehensive broad-spectrum protection — not just the UVB coverage that keeps you from burning, but the UVA coverage that prevents your skin from ageing prematurely.

Paired with SPF 50+, PA++++ means you're getting the full picture of sun protection. Both the acute damage (burning) and the chronic damage (ageing) are covered. It's the difference between a sunscreen that protects you today and one that protects your skin over a lifetime.

UVA Rays Come Through Windows

Here's the detail that changes behaviour for most people who learn it: UVA rays penetrate glass. UVB rays — the burning rays — are largely blocked by windows. UVA rays are not.

If you sit near a window at work, commute in a car, or spend time in rooms with natural light — you are receiving UVA exposure. Every day. Regardless of the weather. The person who drives to work every morning and sits by a window for eight hours is accumulating significant UVA damage to their left side (the window side) over years.

This is precisely why Korean skincare culture insists on daily SPF even in winter, even indoors, even on overcast days. And it's why PA++++ — not just SPF — is the mark of a serious sunscreen.

What to Look For

The simple rule: you want both. SPF 50+ for UVB and PA++++ for UVA. That combination gives you complete sun protection — the kind that dermatologists in Korea have been recommending as a daily non-negotiable for decades.

Most Korean sunscreens display both ratings clearly on the packaging. Most Western ones display only SPF. That asymmetry tells you everything about the different approaches to sun protection.