Sun Protection
Protection from UV rays is important all year, not just during the summer. UV rays are an invisible kind of radiation that comes from the sun and these UV rays can damage skin cells! A complete sun protection strategy can help to safeguard your skin against sun damage and premature ageing.
What are we protecting from?
Sunlight might feel good and give us a healthy tan, but too much of it is dangerous. When the sun’s UV rays hit our skin they can cause major long-term damage that affects not just the look, but also the health of your skin – even more when reflection intensifies their effect!
Water isn’t alone in reflecting sunlight! Sand, concrete or any other light surface can do this as well.
What will happen if we don’t protect ourselves?
UVA and UVB rays from the sun both have the potential to cause unsafe levels of damage to our skin, leading to premature aging and cancer.
UVA: A longer-wave light penetrates all layers of your skin, increasing melanin production for an artificial tan as well as accelerating signs of aging such wrinkles and sagging textures.
UVB: A shorter wavelength than UVA light but this type of ray causes sunburn, as well as skin cancer, especially melanoma. UVB light reaches the topmost layer of your skin and, unlike UVA, these rays cannot seep through glass.
Good habits for sun protection
1. Wear Sunscreen everyday
Sunscreen shouldn’t just be a sunny day occurrence. You should wear it even when it’s rainy and gloomy. You should reapply every 2 hours for optimised protection.
Are you using enough sunscreen?
Most people apply less sun protection than they actually need. You should be putting at least 2 fingers worth of sunscreen every application.
How much SPF is good for you?
There are so many spectra of SPF so it is normal to feel confused. A good daily sunscreen should be 30 and above and 60 and greater if you are spending more time outdoors.
2. Avoid when the sun is at its peak
Having a healthy dose of sunlight is always good but it is good to be smart when getting those dosages. The sun is the most damaging from 11am-3pm, so next time, try to stay in shady spots during those hours.
3. Cover up
Wear clothes that cover skin from being exposed to the sun, slap on a hat or even put on a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes.
4. Using proper sun protection skincare
A well equipped Anti-pollution mist that offers free radical and sun protection properties while improving the appearance of aged and pigmented skin is your go to for extra protection against anything that may bring harm to your skin.