Sunscreen—Info & Misc: all links so far

sunscreen—info & misc

• A Small Sunscreen Lecture

• Avobenzone—you want this in your sunscreen

• How to use sunscreen

• MYTH: Tanned skin is healthy skin (new!)

• PABA—don’t use it!

• Questions about SPF numbers and sun protection

• Quick Tips for Sun Safety from the AAD (new!)

• Sunscreen Q & As

• Sunscreen Quick Tip

• Sunscreens protect my skin from all sun damage—True or False?

• Sunscreen: Toss it out!

• SUNSCREENS: The WHAT & WHY plus the importance of REAPPLYING (new!)

• The Truth About SPF

• Top 10 reasons for not wearing sunscreen: What’s your excuse?

• What does waterproof (sunscreen) really mean?
• Zinc Oxide: the ultimate sunscreen

Also see

• Sun & Your Skin: all links so far

• Sunburn: all links so far

• Sunless Tanning: all links so far

 

Quick Tips for Sun Safety from the AAD

The following are some facts about UVR (ultra violet radiation) that are important to keep in mind in your day to day life, even if you aren’t “sun bathing.” Information used with permission from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).

• Shade only lessens UVR exposure. Sunburn from scattered or reflected UVR can still occur in shaded areas.

• Certain surfaces reflect UVR. Water reflects up to 30% of UVR; dry sand up to 18%; concrete 12%; and grass 5%.

• UVR increases with altitude.

• 70-80% of the total UVR from the sun on a midsummer day is received between 9am and 4pm.

• UVR damages the eyes. A wide brim hat reduces the amount of UVR reaching the cornea of the eye by 50%. Sunglasses, if UV protective, can filter out as much as 95% of UV rays. Check the certificate on any sunglasses you are planning to purchase.

• SPF 15 sunscreen protects against 93% of UVR. SPF 30 protects against 98%. As you can see, the difference between the two are not great. Therefore don’t be as concerned about the SPF number on your bottle of sunscreen; do concentrate on applying enough sunscreen and, if exposure is prolonged, you must reapply frequently.

• Medication can make your skin more sensitive to UVR.

You can prevent (or at least curtail) UVR exposure. Please take this information to heart, and always wear sunscreen!

For more information, see:

• Sun Exposure & Skin Cancer
• Questions about SPF numbers and sun protection
• Skin changes due to sun exposure

SUNSCREENS: The WHAT & WHY plus the importance of REAPPLYING

WHAT is sunscreen?

Sunscreen is a topical cream that contains ingredients that either absorb or reflect UV light coming from the sun. Octyl methoxycinnamate, for instance, is a chemical contained in some sunscreens that attracts or absorbs UV rays. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are found in many creams and reflect sunlight away from the skin.

Either way, sunscreens can be effective in helping to keep your skin from burning. If you are in the sun for any length of time, however, the effectiveness of a sun product (even if it has a high SPF) will be diminished. Why? Creams are no match for the power of the sun. Remember, SPF refers to burn time, not freedom from all sun damage.

Sunblock, by the way, is essentially the same thing as sunscreen, but it sounds like it totally blocks out the sun, doesn’t it? It doesn’t! It’s just another name for the same thing. Sunscreens and sunblocks are both helping to protect your skin when out in the sun, but both are only filtering UV rays. Both are keeping your skin from burning. So although a cream says it’s a sunblock, nothing totally blocks the sun except being inside.

I have used this example before, but I want to include it again for emphasis. If given a choice between wearing sunscreen on my face without a hat or a hat with no sunscreen, I would always choose wearing a hat with no sunscreen. UV rays can penetrate through glass, clouds, and water. Why wouldn’t they be able to cut right through a thin layer of cream on the skin? Obviously the optimum defense would be to wear both a hat and sunscreen, but I think you get the picture.

WHY wear sunscreen?

Sun exposure is cumulative. This means that throughout your lifetime—from birth—you are accumulating what I call “sun time,” which is simply any sun exposure, whether at the beach or to and from your car, every day of your life. Therefore, for the long-term health of your skin, you want to limit the amount of sun damage (over exposure and especially unprotected exposure) you incur over your lifetime. Sunscreen is one important way to do this.

Sunscreen helps to absorb or reflect damaging rays from the sun, allowing you to stay outside longer without burning. Sunscreen, because it does help filter out sun rays, can help to postpone the threat of skin cancer. Sunscreen does not prevent cancer, but it can help your skin defend itself from the harmful rays of the sun.

If you tend to get dark spots on your face, watch out—sun exposure increases the already dark color of this hyperpigmentation. Any amount of sunlight will do this. Just innocently walking to and from your car every day can darken these spots. If you are prone to hyperpigmentation, wearing sunscreen all the time is vitally important. Otherwise these dark, sometimes large pigmentation spots can take over your face.

As many of you have heard me say, I am a big believer in wearing hats to keep direct sunlight off your face. Wearing sunscreen is also an important component in helping to keep sun rays from penetrating deep into your tissues and therefore for the long-term health of your skin. In short: wear sunscreen! 

The importance of REAPPLYING sunscreen.

I was talking with a client one day about using sunscreen. I was explaining about the need to reapply, especially if you are exercising. I went on to say that I especially needed to do this since I always wipe my face once I start sweating, which no doubt takes just about all the sunscreen away too. She said she didn’t wipe, which was kind of a revelation to me. You mean some people don’t feel the need to wipe the dripping sweat off their faces? 

If you are like me and you do wipe the sweat off your face, know that an appreciable amount of any sunscreen you have applied to your face (or wherever) is coming off during the wiping process. 

One day in Colorado I was running a trail, and it was hot. I wiped and wiped and keep internally commenting on the fact that basically my face was left sunscreenless—although I did (and always do) have a hat on. Did I reapply my sunscreen? No. Do you in that situation? Since realistically I wasn’t going to stop my run to reapply sunscreen, I just knew that I would be getting sun exposure with little or no sun protection by the end of that run. Obviously you could reapply at any point if you took a break to catch your breath or to take in the beauty of wherever you are (for me it was the iconic Colorado foothills). 

The moral of this story is: Reapply your sunscreen! And if you can’t or don’t, just be aware you are putting in clock-time for UV radiation. Usually you’ll be able to reapply if you’re more stationary (like at the beach or on a boat). But if you’re out exercising and unable to reapply, hopefully you enjoyed your outdoor activity, regardless.

As I mention in almost any article on sun protection, please—if you haven’t already—see a dermatologist for a full-body mole check. It’s a good idea to do this annually.

For more information, see:

• How to use sunscreen
• Top 10 reasons for not wearing sunscreen: What’s your excuse?
• NO SWEAT: What happens when sweat dries on your skin?

Optimally, wear both sunscreen and a hat

MYTH: Tanned skin is healthy skin

This is an extreme example, however it’s real...!

This is one of the biggest myths around. It’s true that when you get a tan, you may feel healthier. And I admit, most of us look healthier with a little bit of color. However, the truth is the color change in your skin, called a tan, is actually the body’s response to danger—danger from the harmful rays of the sun.

If having a tan is important to you, just remember you are incurring sun-time that, as you get older, will show up as sun damage. Sun damage could be anything from loose, sagging skin; permanent redness (couperose); or, worst case scenario, skin cancer. The truth is, suntanned skin is sun-damaged skin.

For more information, see:

• Avoid the sun?
• Tanning Beds—Just Don’t!
• Myths Dispelled: all links so far

Sunscreen Q & As

Just for clarification, when I say sunscreen, I am referring to either a sunscreen or sunblock. I don’t differentiate between the two because neither a sunscreen nor a sunblock is keeping all the damaging rays off your face. So for simplification, I lump all sun protection products under the heading of sunscreen.

How long should I wait to go outside before my sunscreen is effective?

Generally, dermatologists recommend applying sun products to the skin at least 20 minutes before going outside. Without giving the cream or lotion enough time to soak in and penetrate the skin, the effects of the actual sun protection may not be as good. If you have forgotten to apply sunscreen once you are outside, go ahead and apply it—better to have it on than not. For optimum benefits, try to remember to apply it before you go outside.

My day cream doesn’t have a lot of SPF. Is it OK to use sunscreen on top?

I’m not a fan of layering your creams. If you have true-dry skin, it may be OK because your skin is lacking in natural oils and may need the extra layer. But if your skin is oily, problem, or even combination, putting two layers of cream on may be excessive and cause further problems (primarily blackheads and a shiny look to your skin).

Since sunscreens are creams or lotions and have emollient ingredients that help them spread over your skin, I would recommend simply using your sunscreen as your day moisturizer. This way you will get the full benefits of the sunscreen (SPF), and it should be moisturizing enough—especially if you have an oilier skin type.

I’ve started doing some work with a dermatologist at a VA Clinic and in just the short time I’ve been there, I’ve seen so many precancerous and cancerous lesions. The doctor I work for tells his patients to put sunscreen on twice a day, every day, even for just walking to and from the car because damaging sun rays penetrate the car windows. I never wear any kind of sunscreen during the week (since I’m at work all day), and I would like to start. After seeing all the skin cancer, I realize putting a sunscreen on every day is worth lessening my chances of getting skin cancer.

Here is more confirmation that you need to wear sunscreen—every day—no matter what activities you are engaged in. If you work inside an office and truly don’t leave the building except to get there in the morning and leave after the work day is finished, a light-textured SPF 15 is probably all that you need. For outside activities, you want to wear something that is applicable for that kind of exposure. A waterproof or water-resistant sunscreen would be most appropriate.

Even though you’re wearing a waterproof or water-resistant sun product, you still need to reapply after you have been in the sun for over an hour. When you initially apply the cream, don’t forget to put some on your ears, behind your ears, and in that ridge between your earlobe and cheek. If you have short hair or are wearing it up under your hat, don’t forget the back of your neck, which is a common place to get sun exposure and sunburn.

I want to emphasize this point: whether you are wearing a sunscreen or a sunblock, whether they block UVA, UVB, or both, and even when you reapply frequently, you are still receiving sun exposure. There is no way to block out all of the sun’s damaging rays unless you are inside a building, away from a window. Wear sunscreen and get your moles checked at the dermatologist. Take care of your skin—and your future.

For more information, see:

• Sunscreen—Info & Misc: all links so far
• Avoid the sun?
• Understanding Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR)

Sunscreen Quick Tip

Don’t apply sunscreen like this! Apply it like a day cream over your entire face, neck and wherever else you’ll be exposed.

Many sunscreens can be used as your moisturizer. Don’t start piling on moisturizer, sunscreen, and makeup. It’s too much for the pores. Any sun product is going to have a moisturizing cream element to it unless it is a true spray on. Even so, the spray will have hydrating qualities as well

• Since oilier skin types can’t handle to much product on the surface of the skin, using your (creamy) sunscreen should be adequate to both hydrate your skin and protect it from harmful UV rays

Sometimes in the winter months when I was younger (up until my late 40s) I would put a thin layer of hydrating cream under a sunscreen. My skin was more dehydrated in the colder seasons due to colder winter air and drying heat inside my home. However in the warmer, summer months (I had fairly oily skin in my 20s through 40s), I would just use sunscreen as my moisturizer and my skin did just fine.

If you have an oilier skin type, I recommend just using sunscreen without this semi-layering method—unless your skin is telling you it needs more moisture. True-dry (oil-dry) skin may be fine layering creams like this (sunscreen and hydrating cream). Oilier and especially problem skin will probably not handle the load of two creams.

For more information, see:

• Using dry skin products on oily skin—STOP THE INSANITY! Although this doesn’t talk about sunscreens per se, it addesses the idea of too much is not good for oily skin
  
• SUNSCREENS: The WHAT & WHY plus the importance of REAPPLYING
• Top 10 reasons for not wearing sunscreen: What’s your excuse?

PABA—don’t use it!

PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) acts as a chemical sunscreen, helping to keep UVB rays from harming the skin. It was one of the original sunscreen ingredients. However, this once common ingredient in sunscreens has proved in the past to be a skin irritant. Not everyone has a reaction to PABA, but so many do that most manufacturers have taken it out of their ingredient lists.

If you have sensitive skin and tend to react to sunscreens in general, before you purchase your next sun product, check the ingredient list. If PABA or para-aminobenzoic acid is listed, I would look for something else. Avobenzone and both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide make good sunscreen ingredients and can all be looked up in their respective sections in this blog.

This is somewhat old news and now you will hopefully not find PABA in any of your sunscreen products. But just in case, I wanted to offer this information.

For more information, see:

• SUNSCREENS: The WHAT & WHY plus the importance of REAPPLYING
• Avobenzone—you want this in your sunscreen
• Questions about SPF numbers and sun protection

Avobenzone—you want this in your sunscreen

Avobenzone or Parsol 1789 is one of the few truly effective sunscreen ingredients. The other two are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. All three are considered physical blocks.

Avobenzone, unlike many other sunscreens, helps to block out UVA radiation from the sun. This is important: you want to use sunscreens that are classified as full- or broad-spectrum, which means they are able to protect you against both UVA and UVB sun rays.

On one of the talk shows I was a guest on, there was also a dermatologist there giving information about sun-related skin damage. He went on and on about the benefits of this relatively new sunscreen ingredient, Parsol 1789.

So when you are shopping for the best ingredients to have in your sunscreen, look for the name avobenzone or Parsol 1789. Of course nothing except the great indoors is going to keep you from receiving sun exposure and therefore sun damage. But wearing a product with avobenzone or any of the other physical sunscreen ingredients mentioned above will give you the best coverage you can find—short of an umbrella or inside a building.

For more information, see:

• Sunscreen: Toss it out!
• SUNSCREENS: The WHAT & WHY plus the importance of REAPPLYING
• Top 10 reasons for not wearing sunscreen: What’s your excuse?

Keeping direct sunlight off your face is the ultimate “sun screen.”

What does waterproof (sunscreen) really mean?

Waterproof means the product will not come off in water. In other words, it’s not water-soluble. It will continue to remain on the skin even after sweating, taking a dip in the pool, or jumping in the ocean. I believe anyone participating in any outdoor activities should wear waterproof sunscreen. Anything else will quickly and easily come off at the first sign of sweating or immersion in water.

What’s the difference between waterproof and water-resistant? The difference between the two is basically this: a waterproof product must maintain its SPF rating (SPF 15, for instance) for 80 minutes in water in order to be called waterproof. A water-resistant product must maintain its rating for at least 40 minutes in water. Whichever you choose to use, if you are sweating profusely or are in and out of the water frequently, you really need to reapply your sunscreen.

For more information, see:

• SUNSCREENS: The WHAT & WHY plus the importance of REAPPLYING
• Top 10 reasons for not wearing sunscreen: What’s your excuse?

 

Zinc Oxide: the ultimate sunscreen

Zinc oxide is an ingredient used in sunscreens as a reflective or physical block against UV rays. As a kid, you probably remember seeing (or even wearing) zinc oxide on the nose—it is pure white and very noticeable. Nowadays it is used as a key ingredient in sunscreens.

Zinc oxide is one of only a few ingredients that are currently used to block the damaging UVA rays. Parsol 1789 (avobenzone) and titanium dioxide are the among some others. Please don’t misunderstand: in a sunscreen, zinc oxide is not a complete block—nothing short of being inside will keep all the sun’s radiation off your skin. But zinc oxide, along with avobenzone and titanium dioxide, are ingredients to look for in your sun products.

If you are a skier, a sailor, or are doing any number of activities that cause you to be out in the sun for long periods of time, consider using zinc oxide to protect your skin. There are even zinc products that are available made in wild and fun colors, so you can protect your skin and make a fashion statement too!

For more information, see:

• SUNSCREENS: The WHAT & WHY plus the importance of REAPPLYING
• Top 10 reasons for not wearing sunscreen: What’s your excuse?
• A Small Sunscreen Lecture

OK—this is not necessarily the norm!

Sunscreens protect my skin from all sun damage—True or False?

FALSE! Unfortunately, we have succumb to the notion that creams with SPF are totally protecting our skin from the sun’s damaging effects. That would be nice, but unfortunately sunscreen can only do so much to protect your skin from sun damage. And—it is important to use daily!

SPF stands for is Sun Protection Factor. This is a numeric system set up to alert us as to how long it will take for our skin to burn in the sun while using the product. An SPF 15, for instance, says that by using the product you should be able to stay out in the sun for 15 times longer than if you didn’t have it on—and not burn.

Can you start to see how SPF and sunscreens in general are not going to give you an umbrella of protection? They are only truly set up to keep your skin from burning. You can and may still tan while wearing sunscreen. You will also still receive the damaging UVA and UVB rays from the sun—but your skin shouldn’t burn with the sun protection product on.

Obviously there is great benefit to wearing sunscreen. I recommend wearing it daily. If this is not you, please at least wear a sunscreen when you will be outside and exposed. Again, don’t feel falsely protected when wearing a cream on your face—whether it is an SPF 15 or 50.

For more information, see:

• The Truth About SPF
• A Small Sunscreen Lecture
• Questions about SPF numbers and sun protection

Questions about SPF numbers and sun protection

Over the years (and still—as recently as yesterday with one of my clients) I have had many people ask me questions about the validity of SPFs, exemplifying the confusion that continues to surround the numbering system. Below are a few Q&As that will hopefully help to clear up any confusion you may have.

As I have said time and time again, sunscreen is meant to keep your skin from burning. You will still receive UV rays from this powerful star that heats our planet day in day out no matter the number on a bottle of sunscreen. Use it—absolutely—but don’t feel falsely armed against all sun damage.

If my moisturizer has SPF 8 and I apply foundation that has SPF 8, does that mean I am protected like an SPF 16 product?

I love this question—and the answer is no! The highest SPF of whatever you are wearing is the sun protection number you are getting. In other words, if your moisturizer has an SPF of 15 and your foundation has an SPF 8, then you are getting SPF 15, not 23.

I’ve read some articles saying that if you use this layering technique it somehow lowers the SPF value to the mean average of the two products. For instance, SPF 15 + SPF 8 = an SPF value of 11 or 12. To me this sounds ridiculous, but perhaps it’s true. Wearing whatever SPF products whenever you can is always the best course to take. And no matter the SPF values, you need to wear a lot more product than you think you do and you have to reapply frequently to continue to get protection. 

I read in one of your books that you don’t think it is necessary to wear a sunscreen higher than SPF 15. Are you saying that SPF 30 isn’t worth wearing?

No! What I explained in Timeless Skin was that many times people feel falsely protected when wearing high SPFs. This is precisely why the regulations for sunscreens have been modified, and SPFs higher than 50 are not allowed by the FDA. Absolutely, wear as high an SPF as you want to, but know that with the higher numbers, you also get more sunscreen chemicals, and some skin may be sensitive to these. Regardless of the SPF, UV rays will penetrate into your skin, there just isn’t any way around that except inside a building with no windows.

I am in no way advocating wearing lower SPF sunscreens, but I am cautioning you to be aware that no sunscreen, no matter its SPF, is capable of protecting you completely for an extended period of time. You must reapply sun protective creams as well as wear covering over your body such as hats and protective clothing. If you have a cream that you like and it is an SPF 30, great! But know that if you will be in the sun for extended periods of time, you must reapply in order to continue the SPF benefits.

SPFs and how much sun they let in. Although this illustration looks compelling, it is only telling half the story. True, higher SPFs keep your outside skin from burning. But UVA, the longest sun ray that reaches our skin, still penetrates through sunscreens, and UVA is what causes a lot of long-term damage—the kind you don’t see until years later.

Adopt the American Cancer Society’s slogan, Slip, Slop and Slap. Slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, and slap on a hat. Only by wearing sunscreen and covering your skin with clothing and hats are you truly protecting your skin in the sun.

For more information, see:

• Understanding Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR)
• SUNSCREENS: The WHAT & WHY plus the importance of REAPPLYING
• The Truth About SPF

How to use sunscreen

Even though sunscreen has become a common part of our daily lives (vs. back in the 60s and 70s when there were only a few options for sun protection and most people didn’t use it), I still get asked by my clients what is the best way to use sunscreen. Also, when in the product application routine should it be applied.

Sunscreen can be used in several different ways. For everyday use, either find a suitable moisturizer for your skin type with SPF already in it, or mix sunscreen in with your moisturizer. However, when mixing these two products together, you will get less of a sun protection effect. If you are going to be in the sun for an extended period of time, you’ll want to apply your sunscreen undiluted (not mixed with a moisturizer). If other parts of your body are going to be exposed, cover them with sunscreen as well.

If you have normal to oily, oily, or acne/problem skin, you can use your sunscreen as your moisturizer. Putting your hydrating cream on then SPF may be too much for your already overloaded pores to take. Using sunscreen as your moisturizing cream is a practice I recommend for these skin types. So for daily protection of your face, just apply sunscreen as you would your day cream.

Sometimes in the winter months when I was younger (20s-40s) with oilier skin, I would put on a thin layer of my hydrating cream under a sunscreen. My skin was more dehydrated in the colder seasons due to colder air and drying heat inside my home and sometimes needed the extra moisture. However in the warmer, summer months and if you have an oilier skin type, I recommend just using sunscreen without this semi-layering method—unless your skin is telling you to use more moisture. True-dry skin may be fine layering creams like this. Oilier and especially problem skin will probably not handle the load of two creams.

Another suggestion, oily skin or not, is don’t start piling on moisturizer, sunscreen, and makeup on your face. Even for an oil-dry skin type, this practice can be too much for the pores to handle. By makeup I mean specifically liquid foundation, something that is going over the entire face. Eye and lip makeup obviously has no ill effect.

Where to apply sunscreen is another common question. It’s pretty simple: If your exposure is just the to and from the car type, apply sunscreen to your face and neck as you do your moisturizer. If you are going to be outside for exercise or for an extended period of time, don’t forget to apply sunscreen to the back of your neck and ears—especially the tops of the ears.

The only sunshield from a baseball cap is the forehead and part of the nose. The sides of the face, chin, the neck area, and ears are not getting any sun protection.

Be advised that sunscreen is really only half of the requirement for true sun protection. Hats are the second half of the skin protection equation. Baseball caps and visors do nothing to protect your ears, the sides of your face, your chin, and the entire neck area. The nose also doesn’t always get protection from visors and caps. Unless you’re wearing a wide-brimmed hat, your ears and other parts of your face will be exposed. Honestly, even a wide-brimmed hat leaves part of your face and neck exposed—especially if it is not high noon when the sun is directly over your head.

As far as when in your product routine should you apply sunscreen, always apply it last. You want SPF on the outside of the skin in order to get the protection. In other words, applying sunscreen under your moisturizer is not appropriate. If you use makeup with sunscreen in it and still want to use a separate application of regular SPF, apply the SPF first, then your makeup. The reason is because the makeup has pigments to color the outside of the skin and if you apply that first then your sunscreen, the SPF cream will lessen the color of the makeup, so what was the point of applying it in the first place? Chances are if you are out having fun in the sun you probably aren’t wearing makeup.

For more information, see:

• How much sun does your hat keep off your face?
• Sunscreen: Toss it out!
• Top 10 reasons for not wearing sunscreen: What’s your excuse?

Top 10 reasons for not wearing sunscreen: What’s your excuse?

Wearing hats and sunscreen is the best way to keep your skin from incurring too much sun damage while you’re having fun outside. If you don’t wear sunscreen—and no hat either?!—perhaps now would be a good time to start. Below are the top 10 excuses people have given me for not wearing sun protection.

1. It makes my skin feel greasy.
2. It burns.
3. It doesn’t work.
4. I just sweat it off.
5. I want to get color.
6. Skin cancer doesn’t run in my family.
7. I never burn, so why use it?
8. It’s too much trouble.
9. I forgot to put it on.
10. Wearing sunscreen makes my face feel hot.

Let me address these concerns:

1.) If wearing sunscreen makes your face feel greasy, you could simply be wearing the wrong product. There are more and more sunscreens available that are made with ingredients that will keep a matte finish vs. causing an oil slick. If you indeed have an oilier skin type, I recommend wearing sunscreen during the day as your day cream. There is no need to pile a sun product on top of a moisturizer—the sunscreen is a cream, so you should get adequate moisturizing qualities from using it alone. 

2.) If your sunscreen causes any sensation like burning, itching, peeling or anything else—don’t use it! Those responses are your skin telling you to remove it now. Unfortunately, sometimes finding a sunscreen that works for your skin can involve a bit of trial and error, but I assure you it is worth the effort. Throughout your life there will be countless occasions where you will need a good sunscreen, so finding one is imperative.

3.) Once in a while I’ll have a client complain that even though they had sunscreen on, they still got color. It’s as though the sunscreen didn’t work. I am here to tell you: it did! None of these clients got sunburns, therefore the sun product did its job. Sunscreens aren’t meant to keep all UV rays away (only being inside away from windows can do that), they are made to keep your skin from burning.

4.) Sweating sunscreen off is a big concern as well as then reapplying it.

5.) I understand the desire to “get color” and therefore sunbathing or simply not wearing sunscreen to let the UV rays have there chance to turn your skin color darker. Any time you wear sunscreen you are still getting sun; however, the higher the SPF, the less color you will receive. So could we make a compromise here? How about wearing a lower SPF on the days or during the activities where you are trying to darken the color of your skin. Then have a higher SPF handy for those times when you not only don’t want to get color, but when you know you’ll be out for an extended period of time and will most likely burn without it.

6.) Congratulations that so far you have not had skin cancer in your family. Frankly, that is so rare. Melanoma, the deadliest of skin cancers, is less likely than other forms like basal cell carcinoma, but I assure you skin cancer can happen even if you haven’t had a lot of UV exposure in your lifetime. Resting on the laurel that it doesn’t run in your family seems, to me, like not only a flimsy excuse for not wearing sun protection, but a potentially deadly one as well. Please wear some sun protection at least some of the time when you’re out and about in the sun. Skin cancer is the most preventable form of cancer. Don’t tempt fate.

If you wear SPF, you shouldn’t burn

7.) Sunscreen is worn to help keep some of the damaging rays of the sun off your skin. These powerful UV rays cause tanning, burning, and skin cancer. I would say unequivocally that you should wear sunscreen to help keep skin cancer away—although it’s not a panacea; skin cancer can find you sunscreen or not and even if you never get sunburns.

8.) If wearing sunscreen is too much trouble, perhaps visiting a dermatologist who is removing a cancerous lesion from a client’s face might convince you otherwise. I will say that wearing sunscreen is not a guarantee that skin cancer won’t be in your future, but it certainly helps, as do hats and shade. If you just will not wear sunscreen, would you consider wearing a hat?

9.) Simply forgetting to put on sunscreen does happen, of course. I think out of sight, out of mind; try keeping your sunscreen out on your bathroom cabinet so you might better remember that it needs to be applied before you go out.

10.) If your face feels hot from wearing sunscreen, perhaps if you try a different, lighter-textured sun product this could solve the problem. (See #1—Sunscreen makes my skin feel greasy.) There are lighter, milky-type creams vs. heavy, thick creams you can use that shouldn’t cause that hot feeling.

For more information, see:

• SUNSCREENS: The WHAT & WHY plus the importance of REAPPLYING
• Basal Cell Carcinoma: David’s story for an eye-opening look into one person’s skin cancer experience
• Hats, Hats, Hats! Protect your skin in the sun 

The Truth About SPF

There are so many myths and misconceptions about SPF, sunscreen, and how to protect your skin when having fun outside. This will be one of many posts on the subject of the sun and your skin. The bottom line with all of this information is you need to protect your skin when in the sun—period! When talking with my clients I find the most common misunderstanding is what SPF is and what you can expect from (any) sunscreen. Read on, and check back in for more information on all things sun.

What is SPF? 

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor or as I call it, Sunburn Protection Factor. The SPF number on any given sun product is telling you how much longer you can stay in the sun without burning, compared to not wearing sunscreen at all. For example, if your skin burns after two minutes in the sun without sunscreen, an SPF 15 will allow you to avoid sunburn for 30 minutes (2 minutes x SPF 15). I picked a small number (two minutes) because once you start using larger amounts of time, say 30 minutes to burn without sunscreen, you can see how ridiculous the protection factor gets. For instance, 30 minutes x SPF 15 = 450 minutes or seven 1/2 hours in the sun without burning. I don’t think so! This is by far not a foolproof system and SPF is more of a guideline than anything else. I don’t advise anyone to stay in the sun for very long without reapplying sunscreen. 

Regarding sunscreens and SPFs, I have many clients who come in and say with surprise, “I wore a sunscreen yesterday and still got a tan.” Unless you are wearing what would amount to a suit of armor, if your skin is exposed to the sun, you will get sun. Anytime you’re in direct light, you will probably get some color. I wish I could tell you sunscreen is enough, but it’s not. However, while it may not be total protection, sunscreen is protection nonetheless.

In Australia, they are very sun-conscious. Because the ozone layer in that part of the world has holes in it, the sun’s rays (especially UVB, the burning ray) are a huge concern. I have read that manufacturers of sunscreen products are not allowed to advertise SPFs higher than 30. The reasoning is higher SPFs suggest greater protection, and the government doesn’t want to confuse the consumer into thinking that SPFs higher than 30 are really arming them against extended exposure. This philosophy is not followed in other parts of the world. There is a tendency to think SPF 30+ makes the skin impervious to the harmful effects of the sun.

When the SPF gets higher and higher, so do the concentrations of sunscreen chemicals. The higher the percentage of chemicals in a given product, the greater the chances for allergic reactions and intolerance to the product. Not only can really high SPFs potentially cause skin reactions, they can also make you feel invincible in the sun. The truth is sunscreen needs to be reapplied regardless of the SPF rating. Sunscreen is not a panacea for skin protection. It’s just not as simple as that.

Super high protection (SPF 30 or above) really becomes a matter of diminishing returns. An SPF 30 might give you twice as much protection as an SPF 15, however an SPF 60 does not give you twice as much protection as an SPF 30. In fact, the difference is surprisingly minimal. There are currently some sunscreens that offer SPF 60 and even 100! The FDA is reviewing a proposed regulation that would limit the maximum SPF value on sunscreen labeling to SPF 50+ for those high SPF products.
*UPDATE: SPFs higher than 50 are no longer allowed to be sold in the US.

Remember, how your skin ages is genetic, the care you take of your skin, and lifetime sun exposure. Be smart and wear sunscreen! Your skin will thank you for the added protection.

For more information, see:

• The Best Self-Tanner 
• Sunless Tanning with a Cream
• Top 10 reasons for not wearing sunscreen: What’s your excuse?

A Small Sunscreen Lecture

I was talking with a client today about sunscreen use, a subject I discuss with people all the time. Unfortunately protection from the sun and sunscreen products are all too misunderstood, and even worse they are used (many times) incorrectly. So who really knows how much sun protection we are getting?

Rule #1: You have to reapply your sun cream at least every few hours to be sure you are getting UV protection. For instance, putting sunscreen on during your morning skin routine and then taking a walk outside for lunch just doesn’t cut it in terms of protecting your skin from UV exposure.

Many people want to know about all the high SPF sun products available and if they are more protective than lower values. My answer is perhaps higher SPFs offer more protection, but the higher the SPF, the more chemicals you are getting on your skin. Sometimes more is not better. [UPDATE: Since 2012, the FDA set new rules to limit SPFs to no more than a 50. They did this to stop people from feeling falsely armed against all UV radiation if they were wearing, for instance, an SPF of 100.]

Rule #2: Wear hats! I am a huge proponent of hats, namely wide-brimmed hats. Visors and baseball caps are better than nothing, but they are only really protecting the top of your head, forehead, perhaps and some of your nose and tops of cheeks. They do nothing for the bottom half of your face. A wide-brimmed hat will give you a lot more protection—including your ears. You can check how much sun is still getting on your face with whatever hat you have on by looking at your reflection in either a window of your car (as you’re standing outside the car) or a window of a building as you’re walking by. It might surprise you how little sun protection you’re getting—especially with a baseball cap.

The time of day will also influence how protective a hat will be. At high-noon when the sun is directly above you, you will get the most protection from just about any hat. Wide-brimmed hats will give you more protection throughout the day then caps and visors, but still—you will most likely be receiving sun somewhere on your face no matter the style of hat you are wearing.

Recently I had a client with a lot of sun damage on her ears from only wearing visors when she’s out in the sun. Please remember to put sunscreen on your ears or face the consequences, which can be not only burning that delicate tissue, but eventually the possibility of precancerous and cancerous spots on and/or around your ears.

My spiel is if I could only wear a hat with no sunscreen or sunscreen with no hat I would 100% of the time choose a hat without sunscreen. However that is just said to make my point; obviously I am a supporter of using both. I think you get where I’m going with this: Protect your skin! And—have fun in the sun. Life is short and you have to choose your battles.

For more information, see:

• Top 10 reasons for not wearing sunscreen
• Sun Protection: Hats, Hats, Hats!
• Sunscreen: Toss it out!

Sunscreen: Toss it out!

Don’t get excited! I’m not saying don’t wear sunscreen. What I am saying is if you’ve been holding on to any particular sunscreen for too long, it’s probably time to throw it away.

The ingredients in sunscreen are, obviously, the most important components of this product. Therefore, you always want to be sure the sun protection ingredients are as fresh as possible. Given time, the potential for your sunscreen going “bad” (losing its potency) is likely.

If you use sunscreen on a daily basis, you won’t have to worry about the SPF going bad; you’ll run out of the product through daily use before it has a chance to lose its efficacy. But if you have a bottle of sunscreen that has been laying around for a few years, I would go ahead and toss it out and opt for a brand new, fresh bottle of sun protection.

For me, I usually throw out any remaining sunscreens I used the year before. This pertains to the large bottle of SPF I use on my body—the one I used in October for the last time, but not since. I don’t use expensive sunscreen on my body anyway (there is so much surface to cover that Banana Boat or Target brand sun products do just fine), so it’s not like I will be incurring a huge expense by replacing the old sunscreen with a new bottle or two. Most sunscreens are tested to be effective for 3 years, but since you want your sun protection products to be fresh, I wouldn’t use anything over 2 years old.

If you have any sunscreens that have been sitting in your car all winter, throw those products out now. Extremes in temperature (especially hot, but cold, too) can render the sunscreen ingredients inert (inactive) and can also mess with the other ingredients and cause any cream, sunscreen or otherwise, to go bad.

Take a Sharpie (waterproof marker) and write the date you opened the new sunscreen so you can tell just how old the bottle is. If you find any dates on your bottles older than 2 years old—get rid of them! You want your sunscreens to be as new and as potent as possible, so ditch the old and get yourself and your family some new products to use this summer.

Enjoy the warmer months that are upon us now, and do wear sunscreen daily. Be sure to slather your entire body in SPF if you are a golfer, hiker, runner, biker, gardener, or are doing anything out in the sun for a prolonged amount of time with little clothing protecting your skin. Also remember to reapply. Putting sunscreen on in the morning isn’t going to give you much protection come lunchtime.

For more information, see:

• Avoid the sun? 
• Top 10 reasons for not wearing sunscreen: What’s your excuse?
• SUNSCREENS: The WHAT & WHY plus the importance of REAPPLYING