It's been a long winter in most parts of the country and once the sun pokes through for a warm up, most of us like to spend more time outside. It's safe to say that most of us fail to leave the house with some type of sunscreen on our faces or other parts of our body that are exposed to the sun. It's important to understand that the sun ages our skin and prevention of sun damage is much easier than fixing sun damage. STOP and GLOW has provided some Spring and Summer skin care tips to help you avoid sun damage in the warm months:
- Try to avoid direct sunlight during peak hours of 10 am and 2 pm when possible.
- Use a sunscreen with 15+ SPF every day (SPF of 30 or more is even better).
- Always wear sunblock year-round, even when it’s cloudy. Sunburns and sun damage occurs even through the clouds.
- Reapply sunscreen liberally every hour as it sweats off. Also reapply before and after swimming.
- Seek shade. Use a beach umbrella. Wear sunglasses with UV protection and a wide brimmed hat, especially at the beach or pool.
- Wear a cover-up or longer sleeves. For sensitive skins, a light t-shirt or long-sleeve cotton tunic may prevent sunburn.
- Add sun care accessories such as lip balm with SPF and a hair protecting spray with SPF.
- Use body lotion or aloe vera gel to moisturize skin after sun exposure.
- Keep all sun care accessories in a handy purse or beach bag so they are not forgotten.
- Spray tan! Get a spray tan in West Chester, PA or a spray tan in Denver, at a spa for an even, natural-looking tan without damage of sun exposure. The skin should be well exfoliated with a spa treatment or at home treatment before the spray tan is applied. More tips on how to prepare for your spray tan.
- Makeup. Women and men can use tinted moisturizers that add a hint of natural color. Many tinted moisturizers have SPF, which makes them very useful as a multi-functional product. A bronzer can also be used for a sun-kissed look. Also, many foundations, powders, and lip glosses contain sunscreen for added sun protection.
We all take our skin for granite and think we'll never get sun damage. Truth is, it can take just one severe case of sunburn to increase your risk of skin cancer. It's time you start to prevent skin damage from over exposure to the sun and UV rays.
By Deann Casias Howard
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