Sun Care
 Suncare Facts for Everyday
About Sunscreen
Ten Facts About Sun Protection
Sun Care Facts
 Although the sun is necessary for life, too much sun exposure can lead to adverse health effects, including skin cancer. Skin cancer has become the most common form of cancer in North America , but it is largely preventable through a broad sun protection program.
Ninety percent of skin cancers are linked to sun exposure. Sunscreen use is the most important part of your sun protection program. When used properly, certain sunscreens help protect human skin from some of the sun's damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation. But according to recent surveys, most people are confused about the proper use and effectiveness of sunscreens.
UV rays can have a number of harmful effects on the skin. The two types of UV radiation that can affect the skin, UVA and UVB, have both been linked to skin cancer and a weakening of the immune system. They also contribute to both premature aging of the skin and cataracts (a condition that impairs eyesight), and can cause skin color changes.
UVA rays, which are not absorbed by the ozone layer, penetrate deep into the skin and heavily contribute to premature aging. Up to 90 percent of the visible skin changes commonly attributed to aging are caused by sun exposure.
The powerful UVB rays, which are partially absorbed by the ozone layer, mostly impact the surface of the skin and are the primary cause of sunburn. Because of the thinning of the ozone layer, the effects of UVB radiation will pose an increased threat over time.
Sunscreens protect your skin by absorbing and/or reflecting UVA and UVB rays. The FDA requires that all sunscreens contain a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) label. The SPF reveals the relative amount of sunburn protection that a sunscreen can provide an average user when correctly used. Sunscreens with an SPF of at least 15 are recommended. You should be aware that an SPF of 30 is not twice as protective as an SPF of 15; rather, when properly used, an SPF of 15 protects the skin from 93 percent of UVB radiation, and an SPF 30 sunscreen provides 97 percent protection. Although the SPF ratings found on sunscreen packages apply mainly to UVB rays, many sunscreen manufacturers include ingredients that protect the skin from some UVA rays as well. These "broad-spectrum" sunscreens are highly recommended.
Broad-spectrum sunscreens often contain a number of chemical ingredients that absorb UVA and UVB radiation. Many sunscreens contain UVA-absorbing avobenzone or a benzophenone (such as dixoybenzone, oxybenzone, or sulisoben-zone), in addition to UVB-absorbing chemical ingredients (some of which also contribute to UVA protection). In rare cases, chemical ingredients can cause skin reactions. These reactions are most commonly associated with para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA)-based sunscreens and those containing ben-zophenones. Some sunscreens also contain alcohol, fragrances, or preservatives, and should be avoided if you have skin allergies.
The physical compounds titanium dioxide and zinc oxide reflect, scatter, and absorb both UVA and UVB rays. These ingredients, produced through chemical processes, do not typically cause allergic reactions. Using new technology, the particle sizes of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide have been reduced, making them more transparent.
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Sun damaged skin before treatments
Sun damaged skin after treatments
Sun damaged skin before treatments
Sun damaged skin after treatments
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You should use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF rating of 15 or higher. Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before going out into the sun (or as directed by the manufacturer) to give it time to absorb into your skin. Apply it well and regularly-about 1 ounce every 2 hours (or as directed by the manufacturer)- and more often if you are swimming or perspiring. A small tube containing between 3 and 5 ounces of sunscreen might only be enough for one person during a day at the beach. Do not forget about lips, ears, feet, hands, bald spots and the back of the neck.
In addition, apply sunscreen to areas under bathing suit straps, necklaces, bracelets, and sunglasses. Keep sunscreen until the expiration date or for no more than 3 years, because the sunscreen ingredients might become less effective over time. According to the FDA, "water resistant" sunscreens must maintain their SPFs after 40 minutes of water immersion, while "very water resistant" sunscreens must maintain their SPF after 80 minutes of water immersion. Either type of water-resistant sunscreen must be reapplied regularly, as heavy perspiration, water, and towel drying remove the sunscreen's protective layer.
Excerpted from United States Environmental Protection Agency Air and Radiation Article (6205J) EPA430-F-01-015 May 2001
As a medical esthetics spa, Dermal Skin and Lasler Centre is dedicated to skin care. We know it is essential to proper skin health to use a broad- spectrum sunscreen every day. You might not be planning to sit in the sun each and every day, but you must remember that every time you are outdoors you are vulnerable to UVA and UVB radiation. Even a quick run into the grocery store leaves your skin exposed to the sun. Cloudy days, being in the shade and even being indoors where there is fluorescent lighting exposes you to UV radiation.
If you're unsure about which sunscreen is right for you, come see one of our skin specialists and we can show you the broad spectrum products that we offer. You can combine your sun protection with a moisturizer or even your foundation mineral powder! Ask us how.
About Sunscreen
Sunscreens are your best advocate. Choose wisely -- look for sunscreens that contain the ingredient titanium dioxide or zink oxide and offer both UVA and UVB protection.
Everyone age six months and older should wear a sunscreen with a sun-protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 every day. Even if you don't plan on being in the sun, just driving and walking from your home to your car exposes you to the sun's damaging UV rays, and those few minutes of sun exposure can add up.
Make sure everyone in your family applies sunscreen to all exposed skin before leaving the house for the day. If you'll be perspiring or swimming, reapply the sunscreen often.
Using a vitamin C cream and sunscreen together can boost the effectiveness of your sunscreen. Research shows vitamin C scavenges the free radicals that result from sun exposure, further protecting the skin from the damaging effects of UV rays.
Sun damage can often take a long time to reveal itself on the skin. You may start to see brown spots and wrinkles that are the result of sun exposure from many years before.
Ten Facts About Sun Protection
- The use of a sun protection product should be part of your daily morning routine.
- Not all sun protection products provide both UVA and UVB protection.
- The ultraviolet radiation produced by the sun can be as detrimental on a cloudy day as it is on a sunny day.
- Australia had an alarmingly high incidence of skin cancer due to sun exposure until the government implemented a national public awareness campaign of proper sun avoidance and protection.
- Most people exhibit some type of sun damage by the age of 25-30.
- 50-80% of our lifetime exposure to the sun occurs before the age of 18.
- 90% of women have some type of pigmentation problem due to pregnancy, hormones, birth control pills or the sun.
- Always reapply sunscreen after swimming or exercise, even if the sunscreen is waterproof or water-resistant.
- According to the American Cancer Society, 1.3 million non-melanoma skin cancers are diagnosed every year. Many of these cancers could have been prevented by the use of effective sun protection.
- There is no such thing as a "safe" suntan. For a smart tan without the sun, try Ti-Tan™ Sunless Tanning Lotion or Ti-Tan™ Foaming Self Tanner.
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