Beauty Tip: We Should ALL Scream for Sunscreen
I had the opportunity to view my skin under a UV machine that showed the damage the sun has done to my skin. I.WAS.HORRIFIED. Lurking below my skin was more freckles than I thought could fit on a face. I couldn’t understand the results. I don’t tan. I tried to get that bathing beauty glow, but I ended up with a color that could be best described as, ” pink freckled mess.” I don’t even consider a foundation that doesn’t have an SPF of at least 15. I would go to the beach in a HAZMAT suit if I could. Unfortunately, the culprit that is wreaking havoc on my face is something called ” incidental sun exposure.” I learned that everyone, no matter what your complexion, should add sunblock to your daily beauty routine.
Incidental sun exposure is when you, unwittingly, soak up the
damaging rays from the sun doing everyday activities. Something as simple as driving in a car, or walking the dog can expose you to damaging rays. A person gets 80% of their sun exposure through incidental sun exposure. When you go without a sunscreen, that adds up to two weeks frying in the sun, yearly. OUCH! Even though it is some protection, an SPF in your foundation is not enough. According to Leslie Baumann MD, director of cosmetic dermatology at the Miller school of Medicine at the Univesity of Miami, ” Make-up does not provide enough coverage, You need to use seven times the normally used amount of foundation and 14 times the normally used amount of powder to get the SPF on the label.” That is A LOT of foundation.
Even when we do use sunscreen, we aren’t using enough. You should use enough a broad-spectrum sunscreen to fill a shot glass for your body, and then use a teaspoon of sunscreen for your face and ears. If you are poolside or doing an outside activity it is recommended you reapply every 2-4 hours. It seems like a lot of work, but UVA and UVB exposure accounts for 90% of the symptoms of premature aging. If you have a good skin care regimen and don’t use sunscreen, it is like throwing money out of the window.
Even your hair needs sunscreen. UVB rays damage the proteins in your hair and UVA rays damage pigment.
Vanity aside, there is a more important reason to protect your skin from the sun. 76,000 new cases of Melanoma are diagnosed every year. Melanoma is a deadly, rapidly spreading cancer. Rates of melanoma are on the rise for men and women from ages 18 to 39. There are also other types of skin cancers like basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Skin cancer affects people from all races, genders, ethnicities, and ages.
There are so many ways to get a faux glow and there are great sunscreens at every price range for every beauty need. Take care of yourself this summer and all year long and ensure that you are beautiful for many years to come.
