Yes, I know you’ve heard it all before. ‘Sun protection is the most important step you can take for the health of your skin.’ Yada, yada, yada. Well, as someone who herself has had a basal carcinoma, I want you to hear it again. And really listen this time. This is your doctor speaking! Sun damage delivers a whole bouquet of unpleasant effects—wrinkles, loss of elasticity, pigmentation and dryness, to name a few; and in some cases, it can be downright deadly. Sun protection. Use it. And do not leave your home without it!
Picking Your Product:
When shopping for your sun protection, pick a broad spectrum product, one that contains an SPF of at least 30, and a product that fits with your lifestyle.
A broad spectrum product combines ingredients that provide protection from both UVA and UVB rays. UVB rays play a major role in photo-aging and skin cancer and are the main cause of reddening and sunburn; effective ingredients include PABA derivatives, salicylates, and/or cinnamates (octyl methocinnamate and cinoxate). Although there is no official rating system yet for UVA protection, UVA rays account for 95% of the radiation that reaches the earth’s surface. Some ingredients that have been tested and found effective for filtering or blocking UVA rays include Helioplex, Mexoryl, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide.
SPF (Sun Protection Factor) measures the amount of protection a product affords against UVB rays, specifically the amount of UV radiation needed to cause sunburn on skin when wearing the product. So, for example if you wear a product with an SPF of 30, your skin would not burn until exposed to 30 times the amount of solar energy it would normally take it to burn. Pick a product that has an SPF of 30 or above. If you are especially fair skinned—or undergoing skin challenges such as adult acne, hormonal changes, pregnancy or chemotherapy–consider choosing a higher SPF rating.
Choose a sunscreen or a sunblock based on what works best for your skin, your amount of UV exposure, and your personal preference. If your sun protection product is uncomfortable or messy, you won’t use it. Test the absorbency on the back of your hand. Think about whether you’ll need a water resistant product, which can be sticky, or one that goes on dry so that makeup application will be easier. I have several different sun protection products I use, depending on the occasion—for example, I’ll use a high-potency sunblock for my four-hour mountain hike, but I’ll choose a different formulation for a garden party.
How to Apply It
The best sun protection is useless if you don’t put it on properly. Here’s some tips for getting the most out of your product:
· Double up. Always apply two coats of sun protection. Double-coating will help insure you’re not applying too thin or too uneven of a layer.
· Take special care. Pay special attention to your nose, lips, hands, neck, ears and chest. These are thin-skinned areas that receive a great amount of sun exposure and require a generous amount of sunscreen for optimal protection. Use full-spectrum sun protection lip balm if you will be outdoors.
· Top it off. Apply sunscreen or sunblock after moisturizing, unless your moisturizer contains sun protection.
· Use a steady hand. We tend to apply sunscreen unevenly, leaving some areas unprotected; we also tend to put on only ¼ the amount used in laboratory testing. Make sure you apply sun protection evenly to all exposed areas. For example, remember not only to cover your face, but apply into your hairline as well.
· Time it right. Apply sun protection at least thirty minutes before going outside, and reapply every two hours while you’re in the sun; more frequently if you are exercising or swimming.
What else can you do?
To learn more about sunscreen products, visit WebMD.com.
No product can provide 100% protection from all UV exposure. Do your skin a favor, and try and follow these extra-protective measures whenever possible:
· Wear a hat made of tightly woven material that has a brim at least five inches deep, all the way around.
· Cover up with SPF rated clothing that filters UV rays.
· Sport sunglasses or snow goggles with full-spectrum UV protective lenses; large wraparound styles offer the best protection.
· Stay out of direct sunlight as much as you can, and remember that water and snow reflect and intensify UV radiation.
· Get lots of anti-oxidants in your diet—especially from fresh, whole foods—this will promote good health throughout your body, including your skin. Some studies have shown that antioxidant nutrients like beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, and omega-3 fatty acids can enhance the skin’s ability to withstand the damaging effects of sun exposure.