Facts About Sun Exposure

Sun exposure is not good for your skin! It can result in premature aging effects including wrinkles, brown spots, a leathery dry texture, melasma, and development of pre-cancerous actinic keratoses and skin cancers. Avoidance of sun exposure in childhood and early adulthood is critical to help prevent these conditions. It's still not too late to take care of your skin. Many adults are using skin rejuvenation products to help reduce the appearance of photo-aging skin changes. Using sun protection is an important part of this regimen. It also helps prevent developing further sun damage.

It is important to protect your skin from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. This is especially important when the sun is at its most intense, as at high elevations, during the middle part of the day, or in southern latitudes. These ultraviolet rays have been clearly shown to accelerate the aging of our skin and increase the risk of developing skin cancer. The first step in protecting your skin is finding shade, wearing wide-brimmed hats, and covering up the skin when possible. Additionally, an SPF 50 or greater sunscreen with UVA and UVB blockage is recommended.


How Do You Choose a Sunscreen?

The SPF, (Sun Protection Factor) , is based upon how much extra exposure time your skin can take before it begins to burn. Look for sunscreens with a baseline SPF of 15. Higher SPFs have been shown to be more beneficial to a point. Anything from a 30 to a 45 are relativley similar. Those above 45 have not been shown to provide any extra protection. Make sure your sunscreen provides both UVA and UVB protection. These are the damaging wavelengths of light. UVB burns the skin, while UVA causes skin aging. Both UVA and UVB contribute to the development of skin cancer.

Many people are allergic to sunscreens containing Para-aminobenzoic Acid (PABA), so purchase a sunscreen that does not contain PABA.

If you have sensitive skin, look for sunscreens that have "physical blockers" such as micronized zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.

If you are acne prone, select a sunscreen that is oil-free or "noncomedogenic".

Sunscreen use is approved for children greater than six months old.

Reapply sunscreens every 2 hours while outdoors. While you are out having fun, you are sweating your protection off your skin, often without realizing it. Waterproof sunscreens help to provide a continuous base of coverage and protection, however you still need to reapply them after you've gotten out of the water or towel-dried.

Consider sunscreens in routine cosmetics or moisturizers as "icing on the cake". They may not stay on as well or be as thoroughly applied as a "true" sunscreen. It's good to use these products, but don't rely upon them as your only protection from the sun.

Wear hats, UV protective glasses and sun protective clothing. Sunscreens alone won't provide complete protection. Staying in the shade is the best protection from sun based skin damage.