Sunlight can damage the skin on both sunny days and cloudy, making sun protection vitally important at all times. Strengthen your sun-savvy and learn how to protect your skin from all types of sun damage.
Although more gradual than a burn, a suntan nevertheless still causes the same type of damage to the skin—and can also lead to more serious skin conditions such as cancer. It is a skin care fact: repeated, unprotected, exposure to the sun will create major problems for the skin ranging from fine lines and wrinkles to skin cancer so don't risk it—learn how to protect yourself from all types of UV rays.
Stay away from the rays
After a day of fun under the sun, your skin will most likely be golden and sun-kissed, or rosy and red. But that's not all—it will also be damaged. And while often considered a sign of health and vitality, a suntan is actually the initial sign of sun damage. A tan is the result of an increase in melanin production, brought on by the sun's UV rays. However, as most people are painfully aware, over-exposure to the sun can result in a sunburn. According to Phyllis A. Balch, "most sunburns are first-degree burns that cause the skin to become red, warm and tender to the touch." And according to the American Cancer Society, just one severe sunburn as a child can greatly increase the chances of developing skin cancer as an adult.
Sunlight is made up of several types of rays—ultraviolet B (UVB), ultraviolet A (UVA), and ultraviolet C (UVC). While UVB rays are responsible for suntans or burns, it's the subtle UVA rays that cause wrinkles and fine lines. Either way, exposure to every kind of ultraviolet light is the root cause of all skin cancer. And although the ozone layer protects us from the bulk of UVC rays, clearly UV rays are a real skin care concern.
By weakening the body's immune system and harming healthy DNA, UV rays are a direct cause of skin cancer, as well as freckles, moles, wrinkles and fine lines, and results are cumulative. The more time spent in the sun, the more your skin's ability to defend itself diminishes. To complicate things even further, in addition to easily detectable signs of sun damage, there's additional hidden harm.
Shun the sun
With every passing year, signs of damage caused by the sun—known as photo aging—will emerge on the skin. Skin will appear thinner and more fragile, freckles and moles will darken, the texture may become tough or leathery and wrinkles will crease and deepen as the collagen and elastin breakdown even further. But even if you're not a frequent tanner, don't assume that you're out of harm's way. Any type of sun exposure increases the risk of sun damage—especially unprotected sun exposure such as you might get while driving. Strong UVA rays can penetrate glass and lightweight fabric, meaning that you can be at risk while driving, flying in an airplane, or relaxing by a window. All of this seemingly innocent sun exposure can actually hasten skin damage, leading to a breakdown of connective tissues, loss of elasticity and making you look older than your age.
Sun Smarts
A lack of sunlight can also be tremendously deceiving. Although it would seem that sun damage can only happen on a sunny day, actually the exact opposite is true. No one is immune to sun damage, even during cloudy weather or in the wintertime. While some clouds may block UV radiation, others amplify UV intensity by reflecting and refracting the sun's beams. UV rays bounce and reflect off sand, water, metal, plastic and concrete, making sunscreen vitally important on cloudy days as well as sunny. Even a fleeting moment of concentrated UV radiation is bad news.
Cold, overcast days still mean you have to play it safe when you're outside and exposed to sunlight. Skiers and snowboarders, in particular, should take care because snow reflects sunlight and high altitudes boost the UV index. Although your skin may not immediately display physical signs of trauma from the sun—wrinkles, freckles or worse, cancerous tumors—the marks of destructive sun damage will surface over time.
Sizing up sunscreen
Your best defense against sun damage is prevention—and, a powerful sunscreen used on a daily basis. And be SPF savvy—know what the numbers mean. A higher SPF number equals greater protection, so always select a sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15, which will allow you to spend up to 15 times longer in the sun before your skin will start to tan or burn. Those with fair or pale skin, and anyone who has extreme sun sensitivity, such as persons recovering from skin cancer, should opt for a higher SPF, 30 or more
Spa Central's Recommendation:
Obagi Nu-Derm Sunscreen SPF 35