Your skin is the largest organ in your body. It protects all of your insides—bones, muscles and other organs—so it is your job to keep it healthy. That means shielding it from both kinds of ultraviolet light: UVB and UVA. UVB rays are what cause sunburn and ultimately skin cancer. UVA light is the culprit behind wrinkles, and it can also lead to skin cancer as well. Covering up when outdoors and using sunscreen are your best protection against the damages caused by the sun’s rays.
But for too long, the facts about sunscreens have been unclear and confusing. Recently, the FDA enacted new rules to establish standards for how sunscreens can define themselves. Part of the new regulations include only using the label “broad spectrum” for products that protect against ALL types of sun-induced skin damage and not allowing manufacturers to refer to their products as “waterproof,” “sweatproof” or as “sunblock.”
Here are a few things to remember about the sun and skin care:
• Don’t skip the sunscreen—Even on cloudy days you need to protect yourself from UVB and UVA rays. And sunscreen isn’t just for the fair-skinned. People with dark skin or an existing tan still need SPF.
• Sunscreen does fade—Don’t expect one application of sunscreen to get you through the day. In fact, you should reapply every two to four hours. To cover your entire body, you will need enough sunscreen to fill a shot glass.
• Apply it everywhere—That means your ears, scalp and the back of your neck. Even your lips need some SPF, so find a lip balm with 30 or higher, and keep it handy.
• Ditch the old bottles—If you are using your sunscreen right, you shouldn’t have any left from the previous summer. If you do, check the expiration date, because sunscreens can break down, and when in doubt, chuck it.
As always if you are looking to revitalize your face and help revise the signs of environment damage you can stop into one of our clinics and try our Murad® Environmental Shield® Vitamin C Facial.