I can say that during the summer, most people run outside to feel the warmth and the exhilaration of the sun. It does feel good and we should get some sun daily for a healthy exposure to Vitamin D. Did you know that 60% of people actively seek the sun and of those 30% don’t use any kind of skin protection? Less than 20% ever put anything on their skin. These are sad statistics and ones that need to be heeded as sun is the #1 cause for skin cancer and those lines of aging!
Acutally, aging is a process and yes, 10% is intrinsic, which means it’s hereditary. So if you have darker skin tones, you have more melanin and that helps with slowing down the aging process. Of course if you have fair skin, then you all know you burn easily and this lesson number one that you must use protection ALL the time. Actually, we all should be a sun protection product on our skin when outside doing any kind of activity.
There are 3 different kinds of rays from the sun:
UVC are deadly rays, but luckily they are stopped by the ozone layer. That’s why so many people are concerned about it and we should be! UVB rays are medium in length and can penetrate the ozone layer, thus able to burn our skin. These rays can cause cancer, age spots and the like. UVA rays are long rays that also penetrate the ozone layer but also penetrate our skin and destroy the elastin and collagen – therefore speeding up the aging process. So why don’t people use protection? One thing that most people don’t understand is that once you go into the sun without protection, you do the most damage to your skin within the first few minutes of exposure! Yes, the first few. So that means you MUST apply a good sunscreen at least 15-20 minutes prior to getting to the beach or wherever your sun travels take you in order to protect yourself.
So what does SPF mean anyway? SPF or skin protection factor is just that. The duration that you can stay in the sun without getting damaging effects from it. SPF 15 means that you can be out 15 times longer than if you were not wearing protection. SPF30 and SPF45, obviously for longer. But that doesn’t mean that you can apply it once and forget it. The smaller the number, the more often you need to apply it. Many makeups and moisturizers are finally adding this component to their product as we are exposed even from running into the grocery store from our car or just walking the dog!
It is imperative that if you want to keep your skin from aging prematurely, then you must use protection, no matter what shade your skin, but especially for fair skinned people. 90% of aging can be controlled! So it is what environmental factors we expose ourselves to that determines the aging process, including smoke, pollution, cheap personal care products, and lack of protection.
So what do you chose when there are so many out there that claim to be good? Some smell great and make you feel that “vacation sensation”, but do they really help? Well, first of all, make sure the product that you choose doesn’t contain mineral oil. See my previous blog post for the reasons! Also, make sure it is botanically based as herbs have everything provided by nature for them to survive. These natural products have the safest heaviest emolients to be water resistant. But after sweating heavily or swimming, you must reapply your sunscreen. The more often you reapply, the better off you will be. Water resistant types usually use chemicals to help keep a barrier but be watchful of these types. Again, botanically based ones use heavier natural oils to do the same job – not mineral oil. A good line of product for suncare usually can’t be found on most store shelves. Even “health food stores” don’t always have the best. A great line of botanically based productshas everything from lip balm to sunless tanning (which is the best), to after care, to natural mineral bronzers and even haircare! Yes, your hair needs protection too! Most people don’t even think about that – probably only those with little to no hair actually do.
So bottom line, protect your skin all the time and often when you’re out and about for long periods. Enjoy the sun but be careful, the most harmful rays are from 10am to 2pm. Use a wide brimmed hat or umbrella and use sunglasses. Save your skin as your skin is what shows the visible signs of aging and who wants to look old? Mother Nature will always play a part in the aging process, it’s up to you to be proactive about what products you use and being safe in the sun. I hope you enjoy a great summer – without a burn!
