Summer sun and temperatures are beloved because they provide you with the opportunity to spend more time outdoors doing the things you love.
However, the sun and temperatures come at a price and it is your skin that pays that price. Sun damage can lead to premature aging of the skin, wrinkles, marks, dry skin, and even skin cancer over time. The hottest season of the year requires careful thought for your skin even as you enjoy the heat and freedom of summer.
1. Understand how the summer sun impacts your skin.
It's important to know how the sun's rays impact your skin, especially when you're seeking to cut through the hype on cosmetic labels. The following basics should assist your understanding:[1]
- Ultraviolet A (UVA): The longest wavelength of the sun, this one penetrates the dermis, your skin's deepest layer. Sun damage can activate free radicals and promote skin aging.
- Ultraviolet B (UVB): This wavelength penetrates the skin's upper layer, the epidermis. These rays cause sunburn, allergic reactions and skin cancers. After six times of being burned, the skin has double the risk of developing a fatalmelanoma.[2]
- Ultraviolet C (UVC): Generally these rays are filtered by the ozone layer and they're the most damaging rays.
- Scratch Test (ST): Sometimes if you scratch your skin with a back of your heel, the test will reveal your sensitivity.
- Infra-red (IR): This is the "heat" from the sun and too much can negatively impact collagen, elastic and your immune system.
2.
Wear sunscreen but only after assessing the need and doing your own research.
Not all sunscreens are made alike – some provide a physical barrier (minerals) while others provide a chemical barrier that absorbs ultraviolet rays. SPF stands for "sun protection factor" and indicates the length of time you can stay in the sun; you calculate the SPF by the number of minutes you can stay in the sun without burning normally.
3.Stay out of the sun between the hours of 10am and 3pm.
The hottest part of the day during the summer is the most damaging time. Don't stay out in the sun for long periods of time around the hottest hours; the longer you're outside, the longer your skin is exposed to the radiation. Get your exercise and activities done in the earlier, cooler hours, or in the later, cooler hours of the day.
- Note that some latitudes advise staying out of the sun between 11am and 4pm. Know what is advised for you particular location and err on the side of being cautious either side as well as during the hours suggested.
4. Ditch the obsession with a tan.
Sunbathing or using a solarium increases your chances of damaging your skin and getting skin cancers. Moreover, sunbathing will add a good 20 years to your age by dehydrating and wrinkling your skin.[12] Do you really want that?
- Be careful with fake tan; these products contain a lot of chemicals that aren't necessarily good for your skin or your whole health. Again, check the EWG Skin Deep website to see how they rate the various products.
- Black skin is vulnerable to sun damage too; Iman says that she is two shades darker during summer than in winter