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Guide to the Best Skincare Products

Skin Care and Sun Protection

Introduction to Sun Protection

Protection from the sun's damaging rays is important for anyone who wants to grow old gracefully. It's also an absolute must for anyone who wants to limit his or her risk of developing skin cancer. Read on for more information regarding protecting your skin from sun damage and see our sunscreen products page for recommendations on the top suncreens and self-tanners.

People are finally beginning to realize that although sunshine is an important component of most outdoor activities and a great mood enhancer, excessive exposure can lead to much unpleasantness. A painful sunburn is the most immediate consequence of excess exposure. Long term, excess exposure can damage the skin making it prone to wrinkling and worse, the development of skin cancer. So skip the tan and, if you miss the sunkissed look, reach for a self-tanner instead.

Tips for Providing Maximum Sun Protection

When applied according to the product's instructions, sunscreens provide maximum protection from the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays. Always be sure to choose an SPF (sun protection factor) that offers the maximum protection for your skin type. But remember that no product will work if you fail to apply it every time you go outside.

The sun can reflect off many different surfaces including snow and cement and UV rays are present even on cloudy days. With these facts in mind, the best way to provide maximum sun protection is to develop a habit of applying your sun protection products whenever you go outside, reapplying them as often as necessary.

When Do You Need Sun Protection?

Doctors will tell you that sun protection is needed all the time and they're right. Realistically, however, it's important anytime you'll be outdoors between the hours of 10:00 am and 3:00 pm, when the sun is at its highest.

People don't realize that they can still burn even though the sun isn't shining. Overcast days are some of the worst times for being in the sun unprotected. And because ultraviolet rays can reflect off certain surfaces, people need protection from the sun when snow covers the ground and also when in the water, when lying or playing on the sand, and even when on a cement or grass surface.

Understanding UV Rays

Ultraviolet rays are the different wavelengths of energy that are produced by the sun. Even though harmful, the sun's energy is necessary to all human life. Fortunately, as life on earth has evolved so has the capacity to tolerate UV rays. The most important protection against the damaging ultraviolet rays is the ozone layer - a layer in the stratosphere that absorbs most of the various types of UV rays before they reach the earth's surface.

Most of this radiation or energy from the sun is invisible to the naked eye. The fact that the radiation is mostly invisible is likely the reason why the sun can be so harmful. It's hard to convince a person to protect against something that can't be seen. Of the ultraviolet rays, the two that are responsible for skin damage are UVA and UVB rays. The sun also generates UVC rays, but fortunately these extremely damaging rays cannot penetrate the ozone layer and therefore pose no threat to humans.

The longer and more prevalent of the two, UVA rays are responsible for long-term skin damage because they absorb deep into the skin. Their strength remains uniform regardless of the time of day or time of year. UVB rays are shorter and are what causes skin to tan or sunburns. Our bodies need UVB rays to produce Vitamin D, an important vitamin. Their strength varies based on time of day, time of year, altitude and also distance from the equator.

The UV Index is a scale measuring from 0 – 11 (low to extreme) and it's used to determine the intensity of the sun's radiation, particularly the likelihood that skin will or will not redden when exposed to the sun for various periods of time.

Sun Protection – More than Skin Deep

One thing you'll realize about most sun protection products is that they're not formulated for all body parts. They're great at protecting the skin, but what about the eyes, lips and hair? The sun can cause serious damage to the eyes and has been associated with the development of cataracts.

The lips too are extremely delicate and they'll easily burn if not protected from the sun. Lips that are dry and chapped neither look good nor feel good. Applying a product containing zinc offers maximum sun protection. Lip balms, conditioners, and lipsticks that have a SPF of at least 15 are also good choices.

The sun can damage hair, too. We sometimes don't realize this because we don't 'feel' the effects. But we can see the effects. Dry, dull, frizzy hair doesn't only result from excess chemical processing. Sun damages hair and harsh pool chemicals and salt only worsen the problem.

Other Types of Sun Protection

Sun protection doesn't always come in a bottle. Protective clothing, hats, and sunglasses are all just as important in blocking the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays. So is seeking shade whenever possible. Here's a rundown on other types of sun protection.

Some clothing manufacturers now produce a protective clothing line with a UPF or ultraviolet protection factor. Designed for those who spend a lot of time outdoors such as golfers, hikers, fishers, kayakers and others, these clothes are stylish and functional. You'll find protective clothing for all members of the family, including infants. Even if you can't find or afford clothing with UPF, tightly woven fabrics and dark colors are effective at blocking out the sun's harmful rays. And dry clothing blocks out more UV rays than do wet. Of course, long sleeves and pants offer maximum sun protection, but who wants to wear that much clothing when out in the sun?

Hats protect hair, eyes, face, and the tips of ears. Wide brims offer the most protection and will actually help cool you off. Sunglasses are an absolute must when outdoors. When selecting a pair, make sure the label specifically states that the lenses offer UV protection otherwise they'll be useless. As a general rule, the bigger the lens, the more sun protection. Wrap-around styles offer the most protection because they block sun that can hit the eyes from the sides. And they're trendy too!