Tips and Facts on Sun Safety

Ahhh, the sun. There is really nothing quite like the feelings you get from it, is there? A cold winter day can be tolerable if the sun is shining bright. A down-in-the-dumps mood can be lifted by a few moments in the sun. People get depressed when the sun isn't shining bright in the sky. The sun is amazing, isn't it?

Our goal here is to give you the facts about sun safety because even though it is a wonderful orb of light that lifts our spirits and makes us happy, it can also be damaging. It can burn our skin, cause aging signs, sun spots and even cancer. We want you to enjoy the sun, but we want you to do it safely.

The Sun's Rays

You may have heard the terms UVA and UVB before, but maybe you don't know what the difference is. But UVA and UVB rays are responsible for cancer, but the UVB rays are what gives you a sunburn and the UVA rays is what ages your skin.

Most sunscreens now protect against both rays but look for a sunscreen that says "broad band protection" to guarantee it. Starting in 2012, sunscreens will be required to have new labels to make it easier for consumers. Read more about the difference between UVA and UVB rays and when and where they are most present throughout the day.

Sunscreen

Sunscreen is something that every household should have and use, no matter the amount of pigment your skin has. Sunscreen has changed so much from just a decade ago. No longer do you need to look greasy and feel slimy when you apply sunscreen.

There are two different types of active ingredients in sunscreen - physical and chemical. The chemical sunscreen ingredients literally soak up or absorb the damaging rays before they penetrate the layers of your skin. The physical ingredients act like a mirror, reflecting the rays off of your body.

Most people enjoy the feeling of the chemical sunscreens over the physical sunscreens, but they both have their pros and cons. Learn more about both choices and what you can expect from each. Then, when you go shopping for sunscreen, you'll have a better idea what your sunscreen will feel like on your body. (Find out if your sunscreen from last year is still good.)

Tan Skin is Beautiful; Why Would I Want to Avoid Tan Skin?

In some countries, people use umbrellas in the summer to avoid the sun because they think that the lightest skin possible is the most beautiful. In America, we are led to think that the tanner the skin, the more beautiful the person. I wish we could stop those feelings, but we are thrown images of men and women who are ridiculously golden brown and of course we feel the desire to look as they do.

But the reality is, tan skin is sun damaged skin. A reader questioned my thoughts on the matter and sent me an email telling me that I was being too conservative on my thoughts of sun safety. I published his email online and went on to share with him the facts as I knew them. (And other readers chimed in, too!)

I quoted Sharon Miller, a U.S: Food and Drug Administration Scientist - "A tan is the skin's reaction to exposure to UV rays," Miller says in a statement. "Recognizing exposure to the rays as an 'insult,' the skin acts in self-defense by producing more melanin, a pigment that darkens the skin. Over time, this damage will lead to prematurely aged skin and, in some cases, skin cancer."

Dermatologists use what is called the Fitzpatrick Classification System to categorize skin types on how likely they are to get skin cancer. See where you fall in the system.

But What About Vitamin D? I Need Vitamin D!

Yes, you do! And it is a fact that some of the northern states have a population of chronically Vitamin D deprived people during the colder months, but using the argument of needing Vitamin D as a reason to not wear sunscreen is just false. (How to get enough Vitamin D while protecting yourself from skin cancer.)

Did you know that you can get all of the Vitamin D that your body needs from your diet or from a supplement? Your body only needs to be in the sun for 15 minutes to get the daily allotment of Vitamin D. Did you know that it can take up to 30 minutes for your sunscreen to be fully efficient at protecting your skin? That's why it is recommended to apply 30 minutes before you go outdoors. If you are very concerned about getting enough Vitamin D and you feel it is necessary to get it from the sun, head outdoors right after you apply your sunscreen and by the time your sunscreen is effective you will have all of the Vitamin D you need.

What SPF Should I Use and How Often Do I Need to Reapply?

We suggest every 2 hours or less. We personally apply every 90 minutes without fail. There is a wide range of SPF levels from 2 to 100. The FDA recommends never use anything less than SPF 15, but we are a little more conservative and recommend nothing less than SPF 30. SPF 30 blocks 97% of the sun's rays. Once you hit that high, there is not much difference in the SPF levels. Using SPF 75 or 100 really isn't necessary and can be more expensive. Sticking with an SPF 30 sunscreen is a good bet for sun safety. (Sunscreen reviews)

Is Tanning in a Tanning Booth Better than Tanning in the Sun?

We'd like to hope that after reading this article you feel less of a need to achieve tan skin and more of a need to protect your skin keeping it younger looking and healthy. But if you still are considering tanning in a tanning salon, please reconsider. We condensed all of the dangers of tanning booths for you. If you are an indoor tanner, please read them.

Some states have made it illegal to use an indoor tanning booth by minors, even with parental consent. Also, a scary fact was released that stated that if you tan in a tanning booth before age 30, you have a 75% greater chance of skin cancer. They compared the dangers of tanning to the dangers of arsenic or mustard gas.

What if I Still Want to Have Tan Skin?

Fake it! Self tanners have advanced so much in the past years. Find one that works with your skin type and go for the golden brown look you love. We recommend perfecting your tanning technique before summer hits. You can easily hide blotchy skin or the wrong color for your skin under jeans.

article source : www.about.com

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