Sunblock
Sunblock
The sun is shining once again! What does that mean for us on a daily basis? WE MUST PROTECT OUR SKIN! Yes, the sun is warm and relaxing but the after effects of it are endless.
These include both short and long term effects.
The sun gives UV light or radiation. There are 2 types of UV radiation: UVA and UVB. UVB rays penetrate the top layers of skin. These cause sunburns which tremendously increase the risk of skin cancer. UVA penetrates deeper layers of skin causing wrinkles and premature aging. UVA rays are what is found in tanning beds! Tanning also causes those dark spots on your skin to pop up… people refer to these as “age spots.” Both UVB and UVA ruin the supportive structure of our skin causing us to wrinkle up much quicker than we should!
How can you protect yourself? EASY! We have created a quick list of things to remember!
- Avoid UV rays whether this means staying out of the sun outdoors and avoid a tanning booths!
- The sun is strongest between 10-4 pm – so find the shade!
- Protective clothes- such as a beautiful wide brimmed hat, giant sunglasses, and cover ups can help too! Remember sunglasses must read both UVB and UVA protection- meaning you have 100% UV ray protection. Light colored clothing that is tightly woven will give you the best protection as well!
- Use broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF of 30 or greater. Apply this 30 min before walking out the door and reapply every 2 hours on any given day with any kind of weather.
- Don’t forget to cover the most forgotten spots- ears, hands, neck, feet, lips, top of head, and hairline!
- The average person needs about 1 ounce of sunscreen – enough to fill a shot glass – to cover the body. Unfortunately, most people use only one-quarter to one-half of the required amount