Think bad sunburns are the only indication your skin has been damaged by the summer sun? Think again. The truth of the matter is that the majority of the UV damage we receive isnt actually from long beach vacations, or a weekend spent gardening outside. Its from your day to day activities—driving in a car during daylight, for instance— when sun protection is likely the last thing on your mind. Here are five sunscreen mistakes youre probably making when it matters most, and how to avoid making them in the future. Mistake #1: You dont reapply No matter how high the SPF, the FDA recommends reapplying sunscreen every two hours for optimal protection. One ounce is advised for keeping your entire body protected— so in a given day spent at the beach, one person could use almost an entire bottle of SPF 30 sunscreen in order to stay properly protected head-to-toe. Mistake #2: You still get a base tan The idea of getting a preliminary, healthy tan to prevent burning in the future is a popular one that just wont go away—and unfortunately, its anything but a good idea. Any time your skin develops a tan, thats a sign of injury. Your skin is producing more melanin to protect itself against further damage to its DNA. Mistake #3: You rely on your foundation Unless youre a clown, youll never apply enough foundation to reap the benefits of the SPF it contains. SkinCancer.org recommends using a nickel-sized amount of sunscreen to keep your face adequately protected. That much foundation could cover a few faces, yet still wouldnt protect some of the most frequently exposed skin on your body, like your hands, arms, chest, the tops of your ears, and the back of your neck! Look for a sunscreen that moisturizes and apply it as the last step in your morning skin care routine, right before your makeup. Mistake #4: Your SPF isnt high enough, and it doesnt say broad spectrum The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) on the side of a sunscreen bottle indicates how well it can protect skin against UVB rays—the spectrum of the suns radiation responsible for causing your skin to burn. But theres another range of radiation youre exposed to while in the sun: UVA, the rays responsible for up to 90% of skin aging signs! Only products that read broad spectrum on the label and offer an SPF of 15 or higher can claim to prevent sunburn along with skin cancer and early signs of skin aging. Mistake #5: You havent made SPF a daily habit Two-thirds of all sun damage is incidental. Time spent commuting, running errands, and enjoying an outdoor brunch can add up to a lot of trouble for your skin. UVA rays can also penetrate glass, so even if you spend a lot of time in your car, youre not completely protected. Applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen should be a daily habit. And when in doubt, follow this rule: If you dont need a flashlight to see outside, you need sunscreen!
Posted on: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 06:25:31 +0000
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