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Tips to Protect Your Skin From Sun Damage
Everyone loves the warm summer months filled with longer days and more time outside. But too much fun in the sun without proper protection can lead to premature aging of the skin and cancer.
70% of sun damage occurs during everyday activities, like driving and running errands. Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays do the worst damage, are present all day long and in all seasons. UVA rays erode the elastic tissues in the skin causing wrinkling, and cumulatively contributing to premature aging of the skin.
Skin is your body’s largest organ. Follow these tips to protect, nourish, and keep your skin healthy.
The environmental working group puts out the definitive list of sunblocks that are effective for skin protection, safe, and better for the environment. Visit www.EWG.org get their annual list.
Almost 67 percent of sunscreens don’t work!
Most sunscreens provide inadequate sun protection and/or contain harmful ingredients.
Look for:
- A sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.
- Look for ingredients like zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or Mexoryl, which protect against UVA rays. Mexoryl is the newest FDA-approved sunscreen ingredient.
- Apply a tablespoon to cover your entire face (including ears), and a shot glass–sized amount to cover the exposed areas of your body.
- Reapply sunscreen every three to four hours, and after getting wet.
- Apply sunscreen to all exposed skin.
- Wear SPF protective sunglasses.