What Everyone Should Know About
Sunscreen and Sun Protection
Author: Diane Cuesta
Sun protection has become a way of life for individuals,
who are intent on keeping their skin healthy, and avoiding
wrinkles and leathery skin. Getting sunburn repeatedly can
increase your chance of getting skin cancer. Melanoma in children
has been increasing each year! So it is important for us all
to take a practical approach and properly use natural sunscreen
and develop healthy skin care habits.
Surprisingly, not everyone knows how to apply sunscreen.
Only a small percent of the population uses sunscreen protection
and only half of those people apply sunscreen correctly. In
addition, regardless of the SPF or what the label says, sunscreens
must be reapplied every 80 minutes or less. Sunscreen users
mistakenly believe that high Sun Protection Factor (SPF) sunscreen
products will protect them all day with one application, when
in fact; all sunscreens must be reapplied
regularly.
Two Sunscreen Myths
Myth: Sunscreen provides total sun block. Truth: No sunscreen
blocks 100 percent of Ultra Violet (UV) rays. SPF 15 can protect
against 93 percent. SPF 30 protects against 97 percent. SPF
50-60 shuts out 98 percent. The higher the SPF the more harsh
chemicals are in the product.
Myth: An SPF 60+ sunscreen provides double the protection
of an
SPF 30 sunscreen. Truth: This is exactly why the FDA is putting
a cap on high SPFs. SPF 30 provides skin with 97% protection,
where as SPF 60 provides skin with 98-98.6% protection. There
is
less than 1.6% difference in protection factor. A SPF 60+
needs
more chemicals to achieve a higher SPF, potentially putting
more
toxins in your body.
The real confusion to shoppers has been what a product can
do and can't do. There are a number of sunscreen products
are available on the market today. The trick is to become
educated! Do you believe that just because sunscreens are
labeled sweat proof or waterproof that they are? Currently,
the FDA is banning the word "waterproof." Now the
term, "water/sweat/perspiration resistant" is accurate,
however; this only means the sunscreen offers SPF protection
after 40 minutes of water exposure. The term, "very water
resistant" gives 80
minutes of protection. So to be safe, use this basic rule
of thumb: re-apply, re-apply, and re-apply!
For people who don't have a lot of time, especially parents,
a trend today has been to use aerosol sunscreens because they
find them easier to apply. However, people may not be effectively
protecting their skin! While being applied, aerosol sunscreens
can lose much of their protection during the transfer from
the bottle onto the skin. This is because not all of the molecules
land on your body.
Sun Protection Tips:
Apply Sunscreen Generously Your basic common sense skin care
message is: Generously apply sunscreen to all exposed skin
using a SPF of at least 15 that provides broad-spectrum protection
from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays.
Reapply every 80 minutes, even on cloudy days, and after swimming
or sweating.
Seek Shade Sunscreen is not all you need to stay safe. Although
it is very important to use a natural sunscreen, also seek
shade whenever appropriate. Remember to seek shade between
the hours of 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. This is when the suns UV
rays are strongest. Heres a shadow rule for when you are in
the sun: Look for Your Shadow. No Shadow, Seek Shade!
Watch for the UV Index While many sunscreens provide some
UVA
protection, it is important to watch the UV Index, which provides
important information to help you plan your skin care and
outdoor activities. The UV Index was developed by the National
Weather Service (NWS) and EPA, and is issued daily in cities
across the United States. Some safe ingredients found in broad-spectrum
sunscreens include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. These
ingredients reflect the sun to prevent overexposure to the
sun by sitting on top of the skin and not by being absorbed.
Wear Protective Clothing and Have an Annual Skin Exam Cover
up
with clothing: wear a broad-brimmed hat, UV-blocking sunglasses,
a long-sleeved shirt and pants whenever possible. Be sure
to give yourself a self-exam and examine your children. Schedule
a yearly professional skin care evaluation for the entire
family.
Early detection of melanoma can save your life. Carefully
examine ALL of your skin once a month. A new or changing mole
in an adult should be evaluated by a dermatologist.
Use Caution near Water, Sand and Snow Water, sand and snow
reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your
chance of sunburn.
Avoid Sun Tanning and Tanning Beds Dont fret! You can still
have a healthy glow with a little bit of sun each day and
get your vitamin D naturally and safely. But too much UV light
from the sun and tanning beds can cause skin cancer and wrinkling.
So if you want to look tan at the beach, you may want to consider
using a natural self-tanning product, but continue to use
sunscreen with it.
For more great tips about baby skin care visit our website:
http://www.SkinCareBaby.com
where you will find our 2008
iParenting Media Award Winning Sunny Days SPF 30+ Natural
Mineral Sunscreen, which offers strong sun protection for
those
scorching hot days when lots of exposure to UVA and UVB rays
will occur. SkinCareBaby.com also offers Sunny Days SPF 30+
Natural Mineral Sunscreen Water Resistant Face Stick, which
is
an easy-to-use sunscreen in a stick formula that can be spread
easily across the face for effective protection against the
sun's harmful rays.
Here's to your familys good health!
Diane Cuesta Owner of SkinCareBaby.com
Consider this article as opinion only. Seek the advice of
your own physician in connection with any questions or issues
you have regarding your babys health.
About the author:
Diane Cuesta has been uplifting the consciousness of individuals
and practicing heart-centered spiritual healing since 1992.
With
a deep sense of compassion and commitment to Love, her mission
as a mother/author/internet business owner is to serve humanity
for the highest, greatest good. It is her vision that the
greatest business and financial success occurs when spiritual,
humanitarian and environmental principals are practiced. |
