Now that summer has ended, many of us aren't hanging by the beach or pool as much anymore. That means that most of us probably aren't thinking about putting on sunscreen as much. Well, protecting your skin from the sun is just as important during the school year as it is in the summertime. Here are some facts about skin damage, and some tips to keep you safe in the sun!
You might just think that you only have to put on sunscreen when you're at the beach or pool, or whenever you're out in the sun for a long time. The truth is, skin damage from the sun can occur anywhere, anytime you're outside, ever when it's cloudy. Just because it's not summer doesn't mean you have to forget about sunscreen!
A common misconception many people have is that their skin doesn't burn, it tans, therefore not putting on sunscreen is okay, right? Wrong. Even though people with skin that naturally tans might not burn, the sun's UV rays are still damaging their skin permanently because they're not wearing sunscreen.
And skin damage can lead to bad things -- premature aging, spotting of the skin (freckles, age spots), and skin cancer. Statistics from the American Cancer Society show that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime. That's a lot! And even if you don't live in America, think of how large the statistics may be in your country. And to think you could prevent all this crazy stuff from happening to your skin by just wearing sunscreen every day!
Now you may look at the back of a sunscreen bottle and think "UVA? UVB? SPF? Wat?!" These things can be confusing if you don't know what they mean. Most of us know that the higher SPF your sunscreen has, the more you are protected. That is true, but do you know what an SPF really is? An SPF is a Sun Protection Factor, a measure of how effective the sunscreen is. The number represents how many times the sun protection is in the sunscreen versus the natural sun protection in your skin.
Of course, this varies for different people with different skin types, but generally it works like this: If you burn after 10 minutes in the sun without a sunscreen, then you would burn in 20 minutes with a SPF 2, 30 minutes with a SPF 3, and so on and so forth. But the SPF wears off fast, so a sunscreen with an SPF 15 or more is recommended.
Now to talk about UV rays. UV stands for Ultraviolet Rays, or rays from the sun that can seriously hurt your skin. For the most part, UV rays are divided up into 2 categories: UVA and UVB rays. UVB rays are responsible for burning your skin, while UVA rays penetrate deeper and permanently damage your skin. The SPF in a sunscreen doesn't measure the protection against UVA rays, only UVB, so you have to look especially for a sunscreen with a high UVA and UVB protection.
When looking for a sunscreen, you need to ask yourself if you are actually going to wear it or not. One of the reasons many people don't put on sunscreen is that they don't like wearing it. The right sunscreen can change all that. Using a different sunscreen for your face than you use for your body is a good idea, especially if your skin is sensitive or acne prone.
Facial sunscreen is usually lighter, and specially formulated not to clog pores. A great one to try is Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 30 or 55. It feels light on your skin, not greasy, so it's great to use on your face. It's also great to use everyday for your body when you're not in the sun continually.
Now, if you play a sport, and are outside for more than an hour at a time in the sun (or even in cloudy weather!), a great one to try is Ocean Potion Anti-Aging Sunblock SPF 50. It's still light, but is better for continuous sweating, toweling, or general outdoor use. If slathering on sunscreen all over your body and rubbing it in is a hassle for you, then you should consider a spray sunscreen. Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Body Mist Sunblock is great because it has UVA and UVB protection, and all you need to do is spray it on your arms and legs, or any skin that is exposed to the sun (remember, its best to use a separate, non-spray sunscreen for your face) and you're good to go! All these products have high UVA and UVB protection, and are available at most drugstores, so they should be easy to locate.
Wearing sunscreen and protective clothing are the best way to protect yourself from the harmful effects of the sun, and keep your skin healthy for years to come! Remember to always be "Sun Smart!"
- MsLolly
