The sun gives us life—but too much can damage your skin and cause serious health problems. Respect the sun for the powerful radiation source it is, and moderate your exposure. Here are some suggestions for how to enjoy your life’s activities to the fullest, without compromising your health—or your skin!
This week we’ll share a
3 part series on 1)
Sun Protection Tips for Active Adults on the Beach or Ski Slope, 2)
Year round Anti-Aging Tips for Adults and 3)
Sun Safety Tips for Kids.
UVB protection
UVB rays, the burning rays, are less of a concern when winter rolls around. When you are not running the risk of getting burned is the time to rethink the chemical and nanosunscreens, as the free radicals they generate by themselves can amount to more than you are getting from the sun. Winter is a good time to discard the high SPF product in favor of a more natural mineral sunscreen with great UVA protection.
UVA protection
The aging rays are present year round, from sun up to sundown, and penetrate clouds and glass. You want to protect from UVA rays year round with a broad spectrum sunscreen. Your best bet is a product containing non nano zinc oxide, which offers superb protection from UVA rays.
Hyperpigmentation/hypopigmentation and Sun Spots
These are the products of UVA damage. They are different from freckles, which occur in some people at an early age, and are just the way their skin distributes melanin. To avoid hyperpigmentation, make sure your UVA protection is adequate all year round.
Retin-A or Retinol Products
If you are using Retin-A or retinol products, use only at night. With any kind of exfoliating treatment, make sure your UVA and UVB protection is adequate during the day. Exfoliation strips layers of your stratum corneum, the top layer of which is your environmental protection barrier.
Hats
Get in the habit of wearing hats—they protect against UVA exposure too.
Supplements
Topical supplements like l-ascorbic acid are a good addition to your anti-aging serum/cream. Mix a bit of fresh, powdered Vitamin C into your anti-aging treatment each night for an anti-oxidant boost. Vitamin C not only quenches free radicals, it builds collagen.
Essential Fatty Acids
As we get older oil production in the skin diminishes, and skin becomes drier. Topical supplements of oils rich in essential fatty acids and the carotenoids help keep skin hydrated, and offer limited UV protection.
Diet
Healthy skin diets are high in EFA’s and anti-oxidants. In addition, supplements become a way of life as we age. Musts are: fish or other Omega-3 rich oil, Vitamin C, Vitamin D3.
Vitamin D3
Depending on where you live, you may not get enough vitamin D3 synthesis from sun exposure, especially during the winter. For those of us in sunny climes, bare your arms and legs when you can—but keep the faces UVA protected! A D3 supplement for everyone, even those who get sun most of the year, is a good idea.
Skin Cancers
After age forty is a good time to start monthly self-exams for signs of changes to the skin that may be precursors to skin cancer, particularly if you have a family history of skin cancer, or live in a skin cancer hot spot, like Australia.
To summarize, wear a broad spectrum sunscreen year round, SPF 10-20, and make sure it contains non-nano zinc oxide.
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