Yes, it’s that time again. We just got through Memorial Day weekend, which was not a sunny bright weekend at all. It’s the beginning of summer and guess what I’m going to talk about here? Facials? No…Microcurrent? No…A new facial treatment? No…The best facial you could ever have? No…
Well, have you guessed what I’m going to talk about? Haven’t figured it out yet? Well then I’ll tell you. It’s SUNSCREEN AND SUNBLOCK! Does it sound like something you are excited about reading? Probably not but guess what? It’s a necessity! You need to hear about sun protection! And why do I say that? Because high in the list that cause skin damage, aging and skin cancer, it almost always goes back to one thing. And that is- the Sun. Sun exposure causes 80-90% of visible damage and aging of your skin which is way more than anything else that may cause aging of our skin.
Have I been out in the sun when I was younger? Absolutely! Every summer I would lay out in the back yard and fry in the sun. And of course go to the beach all the time. And, when I was a teenager, we had a deck, and I would climb up on the cellar bulkhead roof outside the dining room window from that deck, and I would lay out there, tanning, no sunscreen, using something that attracted the sun to me even more. I even had a sun lamp back in those days. But, that another story, you’ll have to ask me about when I see you! But, since I became more educated about skin, diseases of skin etc, I’ve kept my face out of the sun. Now I wear sunscreen or sunblock, a big old hat, and sometimes even makeup or a CC Cream over that depending on how long I’m going to be outside. Makeup? Yes. It’s another layer of added protection.
But back to the Sun and the damage to your skin. The World Health Organization report called Sun Protection: A Primary Teaching Guide says in an excerpt about the aging effects of the sun, “Chronic overexposure to the sun can change the texture and weaken the elasticity of skin. Sun induced skin damage causes premature wrinkling, sags and bags, and easy bruising. Up to 90% of the visible changes commonly attributed to ageing may be caused by sun exposure. The others being smoking, illness and stress.” So, we know through science that not getting enough sun, lowers our Vitamin D levels. Science is now saying that we need 10 minutes a day of unprotected sun on our skinto get the required amount of vitamin D that we need daily. Am I talking about exposing your face to the sun? No. I’m talking about your arms and legs.
Again, let’s go back to why the sun does such damage to our skin. We have sagging, wrinkling, brown spots (hyperpigmentation) and possible skin cancer. And, this is something to think about..damage from the sun can appear in as little as 3 months! So the more you go out in the sun and expose your skin, the Collagen and Elastin in the deeper layers of your skin break down, losing its thickness and giving the underlying muscles much less support, thus causing wrinkling and sagging to the outer visible layer of the skin. Pigmentation or brown spots do make someone’s skin look older too. I think a lot of us think also of pigmentation as a sign of old age. As skin care legend Dr. Nick Lowe explains:” UVA stimulates your pigment cells called Melanocytes, to manufacture the pigment called melanin. This is responsible for your tan and also your unwanted dark patches.” Sun spots may take up to 10-20 years to develop, so if you had been staying out in the sun for prolonged amounts of time when you were younger and now have some pigmentation showing, it’s probably from sun exposure as a child.
And, what should you be doing? Obviously using a really good sunblock or sunscreen. What’s the difference between sunblock and sunscreen?
Sunblock – Sunblocks physically prevent UVA radiation, and reduces the amount that reaches the skin. Sunblock is visible on the skin and usually contain titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or iron oxide which physically block the skin. UVA radiation causes damage to the outermost layers of the skin causing aging and wrinkles and UVB radiation damages the deeper levels potentially causing skin cancer. Sunblock is effective the minute you put it on, unlike sunscreens.
Sunscreen – Sunscreens are measure in SPF units. The SPF level indicates how long a person can remain in the sun before getting burned. If you use an SPF of 15 it means you can stay in the sun 15 times longer in the sun if you didn’t wear SPF. For your best protection, sunscreens should be applied 30 minutes before going out in the sun to allow the skin to absorb the protective chemicals. Sunscreens should be applied after swimming and sweating, even if it is a waterproof product. Sunscreens should be used whether it’s sunny or cloudy out. Sunscreen should be reapplied every 2 hours also. SPF also stands for sun protection factor, which means it applies only to the sunburn causing UVB rays.
What can you do? You can check your expiration dates on that old sunscreen and throw it out if it’s expired. It won’t be as effective as the active ingredients deteriorate. Your sunscreen probably has been sitting in a beach bag at the beach in the sun. The sun degrades the ingredients. Don’t rely on a two in one product such as moisturizer with sunscreen. You still need to use a sunscreen product underneath. Sunscreen also needs to be used on cloudy days as well as sunny. Protect your lips with an SPF lip balm, you can also get cancer on your lips. Look for “Broad Spectrum” products which also addresses UVA rays.
So, you may think I’m preaching to you here, but if you are my client, I give you facials, I treat your skin, and yes, I truly care about your skin, and I want your skin to be at its utmost health and appearance. A lot of you tell me my skin looks great, so why not do this one huge thing to stop the aging of your skin, and follow my lead with recommendations for your skin? You can use the best anti-aging serums and moisturizers you want but if you are constantly exposing your skin to the sun, I can’t guarantee that your skin is not going to still be getting damaged and aging. And, to me using those products and going in the sun is negating every good thing those products are doing for you. And the added protection of foundation, CC cream, tinted sunscreen is going to help all the more. Yes, makeup is another layer of protection for your skin. You can always use a bronzer to add more color or for a tan like look for the summer.
Afterglow is located on the Eastside at 1 Richmond Square, Providence RI. To call for an appointment, 401-575-9004. Or go to www.afterglowprovidence.com and make your own appointment by clicking “Book Now.” If you like this post, please share with friend, family or co-workers!