Everyone regardless of skin tone needs to protect their skin against the sun. Although fair skinned individuals will burn quicker, darker/olive skin tones need to be aware too. It is important to keep in mind that sunscreen does not prevent tanning, it does however help protect against damaging UVA and UVB rays. This is important for darker/olive tones to remember, just because the skin is tanning does not mean it is not being damaged. A tan in reality is the body’s reaction to sun damage. That gorgeous glow
you’re hoping for is essentially your skin reacting to being attacked by damaging rays. When the skin is exposed to sunlight, the melanocytes in the body become activated and produce dark pigment to protect the skin from absorbing more rays. While SPF is a must it is only 1 of 3 lines of defense against the sun.
Glorious summer days can be spent at the beach or the pool without paying the hefty price of sun damage. When considering how to protect yourself from the sun keep in mind that SPF is not enough. There are three crucial steps to protecting your skin. The best way is to avoid the sun altogether. Just being outdoors 4 times a month for 30 minute each can cause sun damage. While it is not feasible to always avoid the sun (and some may actually enjoy it), protective clothing and hats can help. Wearing a hat everyday along with the use of an SPF can cut down on sun exposure and damage not to mention keep your face looking young.
If you are going to be outside in direct sun choose SPF protective clothing in addition to reapplying SPF every 30 minutes. SPF numbers can be confusing. A good rule of thumb is to stick with an SPF of 30. An SPF of 55 only protects 1-2% more that SPF of 30 and reapplication is really the key line of defense. SPF ratings also only apply to UVB rays, which cause sunburn and skin cancer. However, UVA rays play a huge role in skin cancer. Choosing a sunscreen that protects against both types of rays is imperative. Look for “broad spectrum” sunscreens. There are still no UVA ratings, so it is difficult to gage how much protection you are actually getting. The good news is that protection is more about reapplying than the actual SPF number. When applying or reapplying a good rule of thumb is to use a shot glass amount of SPF. When using aerosols or sprays make sure you go over the areas twice. After swimming always reapply even if the sunscreen is waterproof.
skincare 101
Although we need it to exist, the sun is not our friend. When asked how dangerous the sun can be the answer is always, very. Not only can the sun cause immediate damage that can be seen when a sunburn occurs, it is also causing damage underneath the skin and in the DNA. This type of damage shows up years later and is referred to as sun damage. Sun damage can be anything from freckled/brown looking spots to wrinkles to dry flaky skin, rough/old looking skin tone or the dreaded skin cancer.
summer skin. summer sun. spf
by dr. gary goldenfaden
skincare 101