Easy Skin Care Tips For Summer Articles | Skin Care

By: Matthew Hick

You don’t have to stay indoors all day to protect your skin from the damaging effects of the sun. You do need to know what to do to prevent sun damage.

Know Why Sun Care Is Important:
Sun exposure is the most preventable risk factor for sun cancer. Protecting skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays could prevent as much as 80% of all skin cancers. Anyone can burn, and blistering sunburns (especially in children), have been linked to some of the most deadly forms of skin cancers.

Tips To Prevent Sun Damage:
There are many ways to prevent sun damage and sunburn. Some of the easiest are: 

•  Use sunscreen everyday. Even when it’s cloudy more than three-quarters of the sun’s harmful rays reach the earth – and your skin. 
• Stay indoors during peak exposure times. Between 10 am and 4 pm the sun is brightest – and its most dangerous. If you have to be outdoors during these peak hours, wear a hat, sunglasses and light-weight clothing to reduce your risk of sun exposure. 
• Watch your medications. Some types of antibiotics, allergy medications and even birth control pills contain ingredients that can make you more sensitive to sun exposure. Check with your pharmacist or doctor to see if any medications you are taking may cause you to burn more easily when outdoors. If they do, take extra precautions to protect yourself from the sun. 
• Use UV-blocking plastic films on the windows of your house, office and car to help block some of the dangerous ultraviolet rays shining through your windows, and onto you.

Using Sunscreen Correctly:
Using the precautions above will help you reduce your risk of sun exposure, but understanding how to use sunscreen correctly may be your best defense against future damage. Here are a few facts to remember: 

• Sunscreen works by absorbing some of the sun’s rays before they dangerously penetrate the skin. Keep in mind, they don’t absorb 100% of the suns damaging rays, so use other precautions in conjunction with your favorite sunscreen. 
• Use the right SPF. An SPF 15 will block 92% of the sun’s damaging rays; while an SPF 30 protects against 96% of UV rays.  Apply before going outdoors. The skin needs at least 15-30 minutes to absorb sunscreen for the best protection. 
• Use plenty. Most people only use half of the amount recommended by the manufacturers. Adults need to use an entire ounce of sunscreen for proper protection. Children need just half an ounce. 
• Reapply Often. Like most topical skin products, sunscreens wear off when you sweat, swim, or towel yourself off.
• Waterproof sunscreens don’t last all day. Most are only good for up to 80 minutes. Regular varieties last under one hour. 
• Use the right SPF. An SPF 15 will block 92% of the sun’s damaging rays; while an SPF 30 protects against 96% of UV rays.

The risk of overexposing your skin is high. It can seriously damage, not to mention age your skin. Protect it for years to come with these simple tips.