Five Things You Can Do to Protect Your Skin From the Summer Sun
1. Lather Up in Sunscreen
This seems like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people forego wearing basic sun protection. Even when it’s a cloudy day, the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays can reach your skin. During the summer months, you should be applying sunscreen to your face and any other exposed skin when you know you’re going to be outside. The best kind of sunscreen will be water-resistant, broad-spectrum, and have a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15. Don’t just apply it once, either; reapply every few hours and more often if you’re going to be active.
2. Wear Makeup with Sun Protection
Sometimes you just have to wear makeup on a hot, sunny day. The good news is that most cosmetic companies carry concealers, foundations, and basic cover up that also has an SPF factor. Wearing makeup that has some sun protection will help keep your skin safe from those harmful rays!
3. Buy Some SPF Chapstick
Along those same lines, start wearing chapstick or lipstick that also has a SPF of at least 15. The skin on your lips is extremely thin and very easy to burn in bright sunlight. Burned lips make talking, laughing, smiling, and even eating or drinking really painful! Be proactive and protect your lips with SPF chapstick or lipstick.
4. Choose Your Clothing Wisely
It’s always a good idea to carry around a hat with you when you know that you’re going to be spending a lot of time outdoors. Not only does it provide you with a little shade, but it also provides extra shelter to your face. A broad-brimmed hat that will provide protection to your head and neck will be the best choice.
Your other clothes can help with this, too! Certain fabrics like cotton, thin silk, or high-luster polyester will cause the UVA and UVB rays to bounce off your clothes or get absorbed into the fabric. This prevents those rays from ever reaching your skin! Clothes that are dark in color also help with UV ray absorption.
5. See a Skin Care Specialist
If you are unsure how to take care of your skin, if your skin requires special treatments, or you just want to learn more about how to protect your skin this summer, you should schedule an appointment with a dermatologist or a skin care specialist. Not only will you get some great insights into what your skin specifically needs, you’ll learn which products will help you the most. Considering how many skin care products are currently available on the market, a little guidance will be a huge relief when you’re running errands.
Exposure to the sun’s elements seems like an essential part of summer time. Working on your tan or getting that “sun-kissed glow” are usually prime summer activities. However, those UVA and UVB rays cause damage to your skin that builds up over time. You might not even be able to tell that your skin is being harmed until you see what it looks like several years from now. The sun is a wonderful part of summer, but it can wreak some serious havoc on your skin over the years and especially as you get older. Sun exposure can also lead to skin cancers, like melanoma, and other diseases. That’s why it’s extremely important that you take care of your skin as much as possible, especially when you’re younger. Good skin care habits are the key to keeping your skin healthy and fresh.
Weniger Plastic Surgery has its own medical spa that offers professional skin care and consultations to patients. To learn more about our wide array of skin care products or to schedule your own skin care consultation, call (843) 757-0123 for an appointment.