Don’t Get Burned by End-of-Summer Blues

Since the end of summer is upon us, I thought it would be befitting to blog about those last minute tanning sessions you hope to get in before the weather turns cold (ahem, this mostly applies to those of you who experience that strange substance called “snow” – a mystery to those of us in Southern California).   As many of you know the sun, though warming and an all around awesome star, tends to burn us…bad.  It is important, as summer comes to a close, to be mindful of the benefits of wearing sunscreen daily as well as understanding the product itself.  And so, I bring you Red Alert from the editors of Women’s Health and MSN Health.  The article, or listing really, details what to look for in a sunscreen and defines those pesky terms typed in minute font on sunscreen bottles.  It also provides information on the differing types of sunscreen out there.  See, told you the blog is befitting…Anyway, here’s some sage advice offered by the authors of Red Alert:

1.       Be Label-Conscious – Pay attention to what the label says on your bottle of sunscreen, such as the ingredients and the date. Expired Sunscreen is less effective than the up-to-date stuff, so be aware of the expiration date to avoid being burned even though you’re wearing SPF 45. 

2.       Chemical Sunscreens – these sunscreens contain ingredients such as benzophenones, salicylates, and cinnamates which, when combined, create a protective film that absorbs the UV rays (the cancer causing rays emitted by the sun) before they reach your skin.   

3.       Physical Sunscreens – not really sure why these are called “physical sunscreens” but it might have to do with how they repel the sun’s rays.  Physical sunscreens contain zinc or titanium oxides which work by reflecting the UV rays away from your skin.  Think of the sunscreen like its a suit of invisible armor and chainmail – if you want to be the valiant knight slaying the UV beast, go for it, makes life more fun.

4.       Photoaging – FLEE! RUN! SAVE YOUR SKIN (pun intended)! This gnarly affect thanks to the sun is SO not appealing.  This is the polite way of saying “skin damage” and it will happen if you don’t protect your epidermis.  Things like age spots, wrinkles, fine lines, and a body turned to shoe leather are the affects of not wearing the proper amounts of sunscreen throughout your life. So, if you would like to avoid the aforementioned ‘photoaging’ affect start wearin’ that sunscreen!

5.       SPF – Ever wonder what that little ‘SPF’ meant on your sunscreen bottle? Well, I’ll tell you… SPF is the acronym for “sun protection factor” and indicates the length (not strength) of time your sunscreen will keep you from burning.  So instead of going out in your tank top and shorts without sunscreen, glob on that SPF 15 and you’ll protect yourself ten times longer than you would without.  Here’s something cool, Banana Boat has a line of every-day use body/face lotion infused with sunscreen (SPF 50) for all of you who don’t like the feel of typical sunscreen – pretty nifty, I must say!

6.       Water Resistant (Not Waterproof!) – Okay…all those bottles of sunscreen that claim they are ‘waterproof’ are living in a fantasy world.  There isn’t such a thing as waterproof sunscreen; there is however, water resistant sunscreen.  Water resistant sunscreen remains effective 40 minutes after you remove yourself from the body water of you were just splashing around in.  Very Water Resistant sunscreen will last up to 80 minutes after your cannonball and that mad dash to the sun-warmed towel to dry off.  If you’re an active water sports person or simply a parent in need of some sunscreen that will last longer than the standard version, try out the water resistant – you will be happy and your skin will thank you.

There you have it, key points to the benefits of sunscreen to which you can either use or toss out like yesterday’s lunch, but think about #3 – personally, I think it is enough to make me wear sleeves, hats, pants and tennis shoes in 100 degree weather.   

Comments

[motorsports transport]

Thanks for sharing your tips. I would agree on number 1 which is Be Label-Conscious and Photoaging! :)

[Jennifer]

You're welcome! I hope those tips helped. It's always a scary thought that one day you might wake up and gasp at how sunspots have emerged overnight!

PS: Happy Halloween! =)

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