| Everyday Sunscreen Strategies |
|
|
| by Diet Detective Editorial Staff | |
| Wednesday, 05 July 2006 | |
You're not completely dressed unless you're covered with an SPF.
Sunscreen isn't just for summertime anymore. Find out how picking the
right product can prevent cancer and premature aging.Are you waiting for a beach vacation to break out the sunscreen? If you want to save your skin from sun damage and cancer, wait no longer. "Sun protection has to be a year-round, daily activity. You need it if you're driving in your car or going out for lunch-it's not just for beach days, " says Mary Gail Mercurio, M.D., director of clinical affairs in the department of dermatology and assistant professor of dermatology at the Rochester School of Medicine in Rochester, New York. "Melanoma is the No. 1 killer of women ages 25 to 29 and is second only to breast cancer for women ages 30 to 35," she says. To find the right product for you, follow these tips from Mercurio:
Buy either sunscreen or sunblock, but choose a broad-spectrum product that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Most sunscreens block only UVB rays, so check the label before buying. Your best bet is to look for a sunblock, because it blocks both types of rays. Sunblock's consistency is often thick and can cause breakouts, so look for a gel or a light lotion, such as Oil of Olay's Complete UV Protective Moisturizer.
Look for a product with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher and one that has UVA protection. Choose a product with an SPF of 30 if you will be exposed to intense sunlight, have particularly sensitive or fair skin or are taking certain medications (especially acne medications and diuretics).
If you sweat or swim, reapply the sunscreen even if the product is labeled water- resistant or waterproof. You want to be certain the product contains titanium dioxide because it provides a physical block to all the sun's wavelengths.
Don't skimp on the sunscreen. Use at least two ounces to cover your face and body. Thoroughly cover easy-to-miss spots, such as the top of ears and the back of your neck, both common skin cancer locations.
Sunscreen is just one part of an effective sun-protection regimen. Complete sun protection includes avoiding the sun (especially from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and covering up with clothing. Sun damage (both cancer-causing and aging) is cumulative. Your skin remembers childhood burns and the tan you worked on last summer. There is no such thing as a healthy tan-unless it comes from a bottle. Bookmark:            Trackback(0)
Comments (0)
 Write comment
|
|
| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 05 July 2006 ) |
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
