The Sun and Your Skin

Apr 11, 2017
3 min read

You have been told your entire life to put on sunscreen when you head outside for some fun in the summer. But do you wear sunscreen year round? If not, you should be!

Though the sun brings many people joy, it can bring lots of bad things like premature skin aging, skin cancer and hyperpigmentation. The rays that the sun projects to earth - UV rays can wreak havoc on your skin year round! It is important to know the facts and how to protect yourself.

There are two types of UV rays - UVA and UVB. UVA rays are responsible for most of our UV ray exposure. It contains longer wavelengths which in turn penetrates the skin deeper and affects more than just the surface skin. These rays are active year round and can get to you even on a cloudy day and through glass windows. Tanning salons use this type of ray as do nail salons. You know those UV lights that cure gel nail polish? The rays from that are damaging your skin.

UVB rays can burn you all year round. They contain shorter wavelengths and product the most surface damage - these are the ones that result in sunburns and redness. These rays can also give you skin cancer. They can affect you year round but are strongest from April through October. Luckily these rays cannot touch you through glass. These rays you can thank for contributing most of the sun's aging and photosensitivity. Did you know that just getting 1 sunburn can increase your risk of skin cancer significantly?

Now that you know about all of the different sun rays and how the sun can affect your skin, it's time to protect yourself! A sunscreen is the best way you can protect yourself; add some sunglasses, a hat and an umbrella to the mix and you'll be protected very well. A common rule of thumb is to use 1 ounce for the entire body and 1/4 teaspoon for the face. There are so many sunscreens to choose from varying in types/applications, scientific makeup and brands. But how do you know what is right for you?

Chemical sunscreens absorb rays to stop them from penetrating your skin. They are stable for the most part. This is the kind that tends not to leave a white cast behind. To tell if your sunscreen is a chemical one, look for the following ingerdients: : Avobenzone, Oxybenzone, Octylcrylene, Uvinul, Octisalate, Helioplex, Homosalate, Mexoryl

Physical sunscreens will bock the rays so that they bounce back away from your skin. It is very stable. This is the type that tends to leave a white cast behind. To tell if your sunscreen is physical look for the following ingredients: : Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide

Lastly there is the a combination of chemical and physical. These are characterized by a mixture of ingredients that are both chemical and physical. They leave behind a slight white cast.

You will also want to choose the correct level of SPF protection, it is recommended to use at least SPF 30. It is a common misconception that a higher SPF means a higher, better protection. While a higher SPF is great, that isn't always the case. SPF stands for sun protection factor. It actually measures the amount of time that you can stay in the sun and be protected. Multiply the SPF by the amount of time in minutes that you can remain in the sun without a burn and you will get the amount of time it will be safe for you to stay in the sun without reapplying or getting burned. For example, it may take you 10 minutes to get a burn. If you wear an SPF 50 sunscreen you will enjoy 500 minutes of safe sun time. Though you may be able to endure that duration, you should reapply your sunscreen every 2 hours at the most.

Some sunscreens, particularly those from Asian countries (I am most definitely a Korean beauty addict) are measured in the PA scale. PA stands for photoaging. The PA is followed by a number of +'s to indicate the level of protection. The more +'s that a product has, the better the protection. Typically the levels range from PA+ to PA+++++. Although many products from Asia and the United States as well like foundations, primers, moisturizers and BB creams contain SPF, it is often not enough protection. Be sure to apply sunscreen beneath your products as well. Allow it to bond directly with your skin. It is also wise to invest in a powder or spray on sunscreen that is face safe to reapply over your makeup throughout the day.