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Sun-Smart Strategies
Getting a tan is bad news for your skin, and what you don't know about protecting yourself will catch up with you someday. So why not get ahead of the game here and now. Ignorance about sun protection is hurting not only your skin but also your budget. The following basic sun-protection strategies will help you stave off wrinkling, skin discolorations, and most importantly, reduce your risk of skin cancer.
Let's start with the bottom line—and there's no way around it—smart sun behavior involves limiting the amount of time you spend outside in the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun can do the most damage.
Wear a wide-brimmed hat and, if possible, tightly woven, full-length clothing. Sheer clothing and lightweight materials offer some sun protection, but still let enough sunlight through to cause damage to skin cells.
And, 365 days a year, before you go outside, liberally apply a well-formulated sunscreen that contains at least an SPF 15 with the UVA-protecting ingredients of titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or avobenzone (outside the United States also look for Tinosorb or Mexoryl SX as one of the active ingredients to protect against light in the UVA range). Apply sunscreen to those parts of your body that will be exposed to daylight. Reapply frequently, especially after washing your hands, perspiring, or if you are outside for long periods of time.
Research shows that we are still not applying enough sunscreen (Source: Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, April 2004, page 62). Think "generous, liberal application" and apply it well before you venture outside.
Staying in shaded areas whenever you can is a major part of sun-smart behavior. Putting on sunscreen and basking in the full-on rays of the sun is like thinking you can smoke cigarettes and stay healthy if you eat broccoli. It just doesn't work that way!
Avoid sunlamps and tanning salons. Tanning beds are considered by many experts to be cancer beds because they emit mostly UVA light, which is highly toxic to skin cells, and particularly in that setting where the source of this damaging light is mere inches away from you.
Sun damage affects the eyes, too. Unfortunately, eye tissues do not regenerate and repeated unprotected exposure to the sun accumulates to cause vision problems. Sunglasses with polycarbonate lenses rated for UV protection that cover the entire eye area can block almost all of the sun's damaging rays. Contact lenses that provide UV protection are also available.
You may be surprised to learn that glass blocks only the sun's UVB rays (wavelengths less than 320 nm). That means the sun's UVA rays easily pass through windows in our office, car or home. Tinted glass in your automobile can block 70% of the sun's visible light.
Casual or intermittent sun exposure (think ordinary daylight, not just bright, direct sunlight) can cause as much damage as a full day in the sun. That means sunscreen is needed every day of the year on any part of your body that is not protected by what you are wearing.
However, just because you are dressed doesn't mean the clothes you have on will protect your skin from the sun's assault. Sheer or lightly woven fabrics let the sun's rays through and that's damaging (Sources: Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, February 2006, pages 125-130; and Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, June 2005, pages 937-954). In fact, for those spending long periods of time outdoors, wearing clothing made of sun-protective fabrics should be considered.
Sun-protective fabrics differ from typical summer fabrics in several ways. Sun-protective attire typically has a tighter weave or knit and usually are darker in color. Clothes made with these fabrics may have a label listing the garment's Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) value, that is, the level of protection the garment provides from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. The higher the UPF, the higher the UV protection (Source: Federal Trade Commission, www.ftc.gov). There are three categories of UPF protection:
A UPF between 15 and 24 provides—"Good UV Protection";
A UPF between 25 and 39 provides—"Very Good UV Protection"; and
A UPF between 40 and 50 provides—"Excellent UV Protection."
Getting a tan is bad news for your skin, and what you don't know about protecting yourself will catch up with you someday. So why not get ahead of the game here and now. Ignorance about sun protection is hurting not only your skin but also your budget. The following basic sun-protection strategies will help you stave off wrinkling, skin discolorations, and most importantly, reduce your risk of skin cancer.
Let's start with the bottom line—and there's no way around it—smart sun behavior involves limiting the amount of time you spend outside in the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun can do the most damage.
Wear a wide-brimmed hat and, if possible, tightly woven, full-length clothing. Sheer clothing and lightweight materials offer some sun protection, but still let enough sunlight through to cause damage to skin cells.
And, 365 days a year, before you go outside, liberally apply a well-formulated sunscreen that contains at least an SPF 15 with the UVA-protecting ingredients of titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or avobenzone (outside the United States also look for Tinosorb or Mexoryl SX as one of the active ingredients to protect against light in the UVA range). Apply sunscreen to those parts of your body that will be exposed to daylight. Reapply frequently, especially after washing your hands, perspiring, or if you are outside for long periods of time.
Research shows that we are still not applying enough sunscreen (Source: Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, April 2004, page 62). Think "generous, liberal application" and apply it well before you venture outside.
Staying in shaded areas whenever you can is a major part of sun-smart behavior. Putting on sunscreen and basking in the full-on rays of the sun is like thinking you can smoke cigarettes and stay healthy if you eat broccoli. It just doesn't work that way!
Avoid sunlamps and tanning salons. Tanning beds are considered by many experts to be cancer beds because they emit mostly UVA light, which is highly toxic to skin cells, and particularly in that setting where the source of this damaging light is mere inches away from you.
Sun damage affects the eyes, too. Unfortunately, eye tissues do not regenerate and repeated unprotected exposure to the sun accumulates to cause vision problems. Sunglasses with polycarbonate lenses rated for UV protection that cover the entire eye area can block almost all of the sun's damaging rays. Contact lenses that provide UV protection are also available.
You may be surprised to learn that glass blocks only the sun's UVB rays (wavelengths less than 320 nm). That means the sun's UVA rays easily pass through windows in our office, car or home. Tinted glass in your automobile can block 70% of the sun's visible light.
Casual or intermittent sun exposure (think ordinary daylight, not just bright, direct sunlight) can cause as much damage as a full day in the sun. That means sunscreen is needed every day of the year on any part of your body that is not protected by what you are wearing.
However, just because you are dressed doesn't mean the clothes you have on will protect your skin from the sun's assault. Sheer or lightly woven fabrics let the sun's rays through and that's damaging (Sources: Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, February 2006, pages 125-130; and Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, June 2005, pages 937-954). In fact, for those spending long periods of time outdoors, wearing clothing made of sun-protective fabrics should be considered.
Sun-protective fabrics differ from typical summer fabrics in several ways. Sun-protective attire typically has a tighter weave or knit and usually are darker in color. Clothes made with these fabrics may have a label listing the garment's Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) value, that is, the level of protection the garment provides from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. The higher the UPF, the higher the UV protection (Source: Federal Trade Commission, www.ftc.gov). There are three categories of UPF protection:
A UPF between 15 and 24 provides—"Good UV Protection";
A UPF between 25 and 39 provides—"Very Good UV Protection"; and
A UPF between 40 and 50 provides—"Excellent UV Protection."
