It’s a funny thing about the sun. On one hand, we can’t really live without it, but on the other it is a major cause of numerous skin issues. Expose your skin to a too hot sun in the summer or winter and you’ll get sunburns. Spend too much time ‘sunbathing’ on the beach or in your backyard and you’re a good candidate for photo-aging.
That’s not even mentioning the brown spots, dry skin, wrinkles and, above all, skin cancer.
So what is there to be done?
Here are a few things that you can do to protect your skin from the negative effects of the sun above you:
- Always wear sunscreen
Sunscreen isn’t just for the beach. You can get sunburn in the winter as well. So be sure to apply a good layer of sunscreen, especially on the parts of your body that will be more exposed, such as your face.
The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends using sunscreen products with SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15.
- Wear a hat
Wearing a hat isn’t only fashionable, ladies, but also protects you against the sun. It’s better to shade your face with a wide-brimmed hat now, then cry about your red face later.
- Apply sunscreen often
Don’t trust sunscreen brands when they say they offer 24 hour protection against the sun. Most sunscreens lose their effectiveness after a couple of hours, especially if you’ve been in water or sweating. Re-apply sunscreen frequently to make sure your skin is protected.
- Avoid sunbathing
Especially if you are fair-skinned, while sunbathing was a favorite pass-time for many in the summer, today doctors say we shouldn’t do it.
Okay, if you’re still going to ignore what the doctors are saying, at least do it slowly to allow the skin to build up melanin and provide some level of protection.
- Avoid tanning beds
With sunbathing being harmful for their skin, many people turned to tanning beds to get color. These machines, however, expose your skin to UVA radiation. While tanning companies will tell you that these rays are safe the truth is that UVA rays also increase risk of skin cancer.
