SUNBURN….OUCH!

Dermatologists are unanimous on the best advice about sunburn: “Don’t get one!” That deep, dark tan Americans worship as the hallmark of health and beauty can be very hazardous for your skin. Overexposure to sunlight for prolonged periods of time damages the skin, leads to premature aging, and can cause skin cancer.

About 50 percent of all cancers occur on the skin. Sunlight ranks as a major cause of skin cancer. Malignancies tend to develop on parts of the skin most exposed to the sun, especially the face. And evidence is conclusive that in susceptible individuals, prolonged ultraviolet radiation leads to skin degeneration with a breakdown of the skin’s elastic fibers. In other words, today’s deep tan creates tomorrow’s deep wrinkles.

THE LEATHERY LOOK

Sun damage to the skin is irreversible. Over-exposure to the sun is the single most destructive factor you can inflict on your skin. It becomes dry and wrinkled, with a coarse, off-color leathery look. The sun, dermatologists now realize, can make skin look old before its time. Aging is, as yet, an inevitable human process. But wrinkling and other changes such as brown spots, mottling, skin thinning and senile-keratosis (patches that are thickened, reddened, scaly, prickly), occurs in direct proportion to the skin’s exposure to sunlight. Furriers tan hides to make leather by stretching the animal skin and drying it. The same effect occurs when you over-expose your skin to the sun.

ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT

Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun are what damages the skin. Sunscreens have been developed to absorb, reflect, or scatter dangerous UV rays away from the skin to prevent its penetration to the dermis while, at the same time, permitting the passage of some less harmful tanning rays.

SPF – Sun Protection Factor – refers to the amount of sunlight required to produce a sunburn when no sunscreen is present versus the amount needed to produce the same level of sunburn through a sunscreen. A product with an SPF of 4 enables people to stay in the sun without burning four times longer than they could without the sunscreen while permitting some tanning.

Many dermatologist believe that if people fully understood skin cancer and aging, applying a sunscreen would be as much a part of daily hygiene as brushing the teeth or applying deodorant.

Look for these healthy products to avoid unnecessary sunburns:

SPF 30 for Body

Protect and prevent premature aging of your skin. This sunscreen provides broad-spectrum protection against both harmful UVA and UVB rays. Filters out sun’s harsh rays to protect against skin damage. High protection against sunburn for blondes, redheads and those with fair skin.

LIP CONDITIONER

An all-family, all-weather, all-day product. For guarding against sunburned lips, it’s valuable on the beach. SPF 15 lip treatment is waterproof and protects lips by holding moisture in.

DAILY SPF 15 MOISTURIZER

Protect your skin daily with a moisturizer that nourishes and protects your face with antioxidant vitamins. Skin is intensely moisturized and fine lines and wrinkles are visibly diminished. Nonirritating SPF 15 sunscreen – hypoallergenic.

SUNSCREEN TIPS:

• Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before sun exposure, again after swimming and exercising
• Use sunscreen liberally. Too thinly applied you may be getting less protection than the label says
• Wear sunscreen under makeup daily
• Reapply sunscreen every two hours when out in the sun, more often if you perspire heavily in hot weather
• Don’t forget to apply it to where you part your hair
• Always protect your lips with sunscreen

Certain drugs such as tranquilizers, diuretics, antihistamines, and certain deodorant soaps make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. If you’re taking any medication, ask your doctor before you step into the sun.

Information obtained From The Field, October ’98

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This entry was posted on Monday, May 26th, 2008 at 5:32 pm and is filed under Beauty, CHILDRENS HEALTH, Mens Health, Skin Care, Womens Health, health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.