It’s starting to feel like summer, which means pool days, barbecues and backyard parties are just around the corner. However, with the days warming up, Dr. Kristen Jacobs, a local aesthetic physician and owner of Ooh La La Spa, Anti-Aging & Wellness wants people to be equipped with the right knowledge and skin products to help protect their skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays. May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month and according to the Academy of Dermatology, nearly 1 in 5 people develop some form of skin cancer in their life.
“I advise buying your sunscreen in advance and having it around the house so you don’t forget to bring it to the pool and apply it before you leave the house,” said Dr. Jacobs. “When purchasing sunscreen, I always recommend a physical sunscreen, which works as a shield to protect your skin from the sun. Chemical sunscreen works like a sponge to absorb the sun’s UV rays and you want to avoid that. The way to tell between the two is by looking at the ingredients. In a physical sunscreen, the only active ingredients should be Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide.”
Dr. Jacobs also said if you see any active ingredients other than those two, it is a chemical sunscreen that can contain other harmful ingredients. It’s also important to look closely at both the active and inactive ingredients for chemicals such as oxybenzone, avobenzone, homosalate, octinoxate, octocrylene, cinoxate, dioxybenzone, ensulizole, meradimate, padimate O and sulisobenzone, which can be harmful to your skin.
“The sun can not only cause skin cancer, but it can lead to premature aging, including wrinkles, skin discoloration such as brown spots and redness, and sagging skin,” said Dr. Jacobs. “You can still enjoy the sun, but the best thing you can do for your future self is wear the sunscreen, reapply and always lather up. Prevention now can save your life later! Colorescience makes several great sunscreens that double up as make-up, a moisturizer, or redness corrector. Investing in your products for your skin will pay off in the long run, helping prevent yourself from any form of skin cancer, including melanoma and basal cell carcinoma.”
Dr. Jacobs recommends wearing sun-protective clothing, UV-blocking sunglasses, and conducting skin self-exams monthly. Ooh La La Spa, Anti-Aging & Wellness also offers a laser resurfacing treatment, Sciton® HALO, that minimizes brown spots and irregular skin tone from sun damage. It’s safe to perform in the summer and helps assist in reversing years of sun damage.
Call us today to schedule a visit! (618) 288-9117
