Sunny summer days mean spending long, enjoyable hours outside. And I don’t know about you, but for me, summer and sunshine also means a project to turn my pale skin into golden bronze.
Being in the sun feels good and having the sun around makes us happy. Who doesn’t feel great after a day at the beach or pool?
But as much as you may love the sun on your skin, your skin doesn’t appreciate it. In fact, your skin will repay you for all that sun exposure by transforming that sun-kissed glow you have today into wrinkles and sunspots, and possibly skin cancer.
Bare skin is vulnerable skin. But don’t worry, the solution to skin protection is simple: wear sunscreen. Whether you’re walking to your car, tanning on the beach, or even sitting by a window, the sun’s damaging rays are affecting your skin.
The sun harms your skin by emitting ultraviolet (UV) rays, which damage the DNA of skin cells. There are two types of UV rays, known as UVA and UVB, which are the main culprits in triggering harmful changes in your skin. UVB rays cause sunburns, while UVA is more inclined towards wrinkles and aging. Both UVB and UVA can cause different skin cancers. Although there are varying opinions on which is worse, according to Cancer.org there is no such thing as safe UV rays.
Sunscreen contains chemicals that shield the skin against UV rays by either reflecting or absorbing them, says LiveScience.com. All sunscreens contain SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, which indicates the percentage of UV rays the sun blocks. Sunscreens come in varying levels of SPF, but none offer full protection. But reapplying every two hours and wearing it every day will benefit those who wear it in the long run over those who don’t, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
When it comes to choosing a sunscreen, you have a lot of options. If you like normal sunscreen, most organizations recommend using one between 15-50 SPF that indicates “broad spectrum,” because those protect against both UV rays. There’s also many skin care lines, both high-end and drugstore, which offer moisturizers ranging from 15 to 30 SPF. So, just swap out your current moisturizer for one with SPF and you won’t ever forget to apply. The face is particularly vulnerable to sun damage because it is always exposed.
Coconut oil is a natural sunscreen, which is great if slathering your skin with chemicals isn’t your thing. However, it only has an SPF of 4, so on it’s own it’s best suited for fall and winter. However, home-made coconut oil based sunscreen can be made by mixing 1/2 cups of virgin coconut oil, 2 tablespoons of non nana zinc oxide, 1 tablespoon of red raspberry seed oil, and if desired, 10 drops of essential oils. A more detailed recipe can be found here.
You can also visit a health food store and pick up a pre-made natural sunscreen.
Remember, the tan is not worth the damage. Care for your skin and it will thank you in the future. In the end, healthy skin always looks best.
