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Women's Health, Gainesville, FL Protecting & Nurturing the Skin You Live InWomen's Health:
MANY OF US have probably baked in the sun without sunscreen, particularly in Florida. Unfortunately, as you may already know, the sun is our biggest enemy in the war on skin beauty and health, from wrinkles to skin cancer. However, it’s never too late nor too early to protect and nurture your skin.
Here are a few tips for protecting your skin from the sun and skin cancer:
Avoid excessive sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., when the sun’s radiation is most-intense.
Wear protective clothing, such as hats and long sleeves, and use sunscreen that protects from both UVA and UBA radiation.
Use sunscreen that has a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or greater. An SPF of 15 means that you can stay in the sun 15 times longer than you normally could before your skin begins to burn.
Apply sunscreen liberally half an hour before you go out in the sun so that it’s well-absorbed into your skin.
Remember, even if it’s cloudy, 60 – 80 percent of the sun’s rays can get through clouds and even reflect off water, snow and white sand.
Most importantly, if you see an area on your skin that looks unusual, see your doctor immediately.
A new area of study that is showing promise in the war against skin cancer is the use of photodynamic therapy (PDT) to resurface skin and treat actinic keratoses—thickened and scaly skin patches that can often turn into squamous-cell carcinoma. While this is not a diagnostic or preventive procedure, studies show it has been beneficial in some cases. This treatment, also used to treat acne and wrinkles, involves rubbing a topical medication on the skin and then shining artificial ultraviolet light on it to stimulate destruction of abnormal cells.
If your skin is already sun-damaged, you can still nurture it to reduce those visible signs. Using high-quality skincare products can do wonders. Commercial products may contain some beneficial ingredients, such as kinetin or retinol, but many combine fillers, making the original ingredient isn not as effective. Talk to your dermatologist or skincare specialist about the newest medical- or pharmaceuticalgrade products. While these may cost a little more, keep in mind that you’re getting more of the beneficial ingredients and better results for your money.
New and safe laser and other skin treatments can help eliminate visible signs of sun damage, such as discoloration and wrinkles. The dark ages of harsh chemical peels and scary lasers are gone. Research and technology are moving along beautifully, raising the bar on effectiveness and safety while lowering risks, pain, costs and downtime. You can also combine some types of treatments and use them in conjunction with a skincare regimen to reduce visible damage. Regardless, the bottom line is it’s never too late to protect or nurture the unique—and only—skin you were born to live in. G
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