Best way to protect skin from sun damage?

Summer is just around the corner, which means longer days, vacation time, and more time spent outside for many of us.

It’s great to spend time outside, but keep the following tips in mind to keep your skin looking its best and to minimize chances of future skin disease:

• Use waterproof or water-resistant sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30 or higher that protects from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and B (UVB) rays on all your exposed skin. Re-apply the sunblock every two hours. Also, be sure to re-apply after swimming, rubbing skin, or sweating. Use sunblock even when the sun is behind the clouds.

• Acne prone skin? You need a slightly different sunscreen to avoid blocking pores. Use a maximum SPF 30, with a sunblock that says “oil-free”, “non acne forming” or “non-comedogenic.”

• Wear clothes that protect from the sun, such as a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, when possible. Some clothes are made with special lightweight material that has its own SPF rating - these are great choices.

• Choose shaded areas over direct sun, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when sunlight is most intense. Rule of thumb: If your shadow is shorter than you are, stay in the shade.

• At the beach or on a boat? Be careful - water and sand reflect the damaging rays of the sun and increase your chance of sunburn.

• Tanning beds are not a safe alternative to sun! Ultraviolet light from tanning beds can still cause skin cancer and wrinkling. For a “tanned” look, consider using a sunless self-tanning product, but continue to use sunscreen with it.

• Protect children early from sun exposure. Have kids playing in shaded areas, use protective clothing and sunscreen.

• If you see something on your skin that is changing color, texture, size, or is bleeding for no apparent reason, you may need further care from a dermatologist.

So enjoy summer - but stay safe! Use these guidelines to protect yourself and others from prematurely aging skin and skin disease.

Many patients tell me that they do not need sunscreen because they are not going outside. I remind them that the minute they step out of the door - they are outside. Be mindful of the amount of UV exposure we are exposed to even driving in the car. *Don't forget the chest and hands when applying sunscreen as part of your daily regimen. A common skin condition we see is Poikiloderma. This presents as a reddish/brown discoloration to the neck/chest from sun damage. *Look for a sunscreen that provides a chemical barrier as well as a physical barrier to the sun.

• Remember to apply a nourishing moisturizer with a mineral sunscreen (titanium dioxide or zinc oxide) to the neck and neckline and also around the eyes.

Most women, in particular, remember to use an SPF cream on the face but tend to forget the neck and neckline, even though we love to wear low-neckline dresses and tops in the warm months. After just one season of such negligence, the neck and décolleté can begin to look noticeably older, wrinkled, and may lack tone and develop brown sun spots.

• To prevent this from happening, choose a fast-absorbing face moisturizer with UVA and UVB sunscreen for use on the neck and neckline every morning—not a body cream. 

Most body moisturizers, even the ones with an SPF, don’t contain nearly as many sophisticated moisturizers, anti-aging, and anti-wrinkle ingredients as face moisturizers. This is due to the incredible demand for ever better, truly effective, state-of-the art facial care products and the fact that customers are willing to spend more on these products.  So, cosmetic manufacturers just tend to put much more energy and more resources into facial care products than body care products.

Many companies also now carry special neck creams—just make sure you chose one is SPF 15 to 25, preferably with physical sunscreens titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. 

• Your favorite eye cream may also not contain sun protection. Just top it with an SPF cream every morning to eliminate any chance of skin aging from UV rays in the moments you aren’t wearing your sunglasses.

Non-irritating physical sunscreens (titanium dioxide or zinc oxide) are the only ones I recommend for the sensitive eye area and for anyone with sensitive skin. Physical sunscreens are extremely effective at absorbing and reflecting both UVA and UVB rays while being completely non-toxic, harmless, and gentle.

Earthwise Beauty makes an all-natural organic Black Tea SPF 20 Sun Protection Cream. We recommend it for the face, neck and neckline, and for use around the eyes. It contains powerful anti-aging ingredients such as organic black tea infusion, vitamins A, E, and C, and organic coconut oil.

1) Avoid the sun during the middle of the day when the sun is at is highest point
2) Stay in the shade whenever possible, and avoid direct sun
3) Wear UPF Clothing that covers the body, arms, and legs
4) Wear a broad-brimmed hat that can protect the face, ears, and back of neck
5) Use at least SPF30 Sunscreen*
6) Cover up children in UPF Clothing and get them in the habit of wear such clothing

* Whatever brand of sunscreen you use, it should be at least SPF30, and it should be reapplied every 30-90 minutes, depending on its rating, the UV rating that day, and whether there is swimming or sweat involved.

The most important tip to prevent sun damage is to wear a UVA/UVB sunblock with an SPF of 30 every single day. UVB are the sun’s burning rays, which are strongest in the summer months. During these months it is advisable to wear the highest possible number SPF since SPF is protection against UVB rays. UVA on the other hand doesn’t change with the seasons and it remains constant year round. That is why daily UVA/UVB protection is essential for preventing sun damage.

During the summer months be sure to apply a high SPF UVA/UVB sunblock twenty minutes before going outdoors; it takes that long for the sunblock to truly be protective. It is also essential to reapply sunblock throughout the day every 90 minutes; a spray makes application simple and less cumbersome, especially on the beach.

I advise my women patients to wear a good mineral make-up. Most mineral make-up is free of preservatives making them potentially less irritating for patients with sensitive skin. In addition, mineral make-up generally has an SPF of 15 or 20 depending on the brand and blocks both UVA and UVB. Mineral make-up is easy to apply and can be touched up throughout the day.

My first line of defense for sun protection is sun protective clothing. Coolibar.com is an excellent site and Coolibar makes terrific sun-protective clothing products. The fabrics have an especially tight weave that will block out sun, and the fabrics are ultralight and vented, so they are extremely comfortable to wear.

My second line of defense against the sun is the appropriate use of sunscreens. The most important thing is to make sure it has an SPF of 15 or higher and evenly more importantly that it contains UVA protection.

• The sunscreen that is terrific for the face and is noncomedogenic is called Melashade.
• I recommend the Vanicream or Skinceuticals line for the rest of the body, and the Sea & Ski spray brand for children.
• The appropriate way to use sunscreens is to apply them 30 minutes before sun exposure (because it takes 15 to 20 minutes to set up properly in the skin) and then to reapply every hour to maintain activity. Additionally, they should be reapplied even more frequently if you are either perspiring or swimming.
• Sunscreens can be applied to children starting at age 6 months. Before that, just keep them covered.

I think one of the most important things that anyone can do for their skin is to sun protect, the earlier the better. By age 21, most people have already received 75% of their total lifetime ultraviolet exposure, but nevertheless, better late than never. It is also important for parents and grandparents to educate their children on the appropriate ways to sun protect.

Even though we live in a rainy place like the Northwest, sunscreen is still very important! No matter what climate you live in, you still need to think about sun protection. You must also think about moisturizing your skin.

Even if you live in an environment that is seemingly friendly to skin, the power of the sun's rays cannot be underestimated. It is more important than ever to protect and moisturize your skin to retain a healthy-looking glow and to minimize damage due to sun and neglect.