Protect Your Skin From Sun Damage: Shocking Statistics & Effective Solutions
Shocking Statistics on Sun Exposure & Skin Damage
- According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, approximately 90% of skin aging is caused by sun exposure.
- 80% of sun exposure occurs during everyday activities.
- Those who apply sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater on a daily basis experience a dramatic 24 percent reduction in skin aging.
The statistics on the connection between sun exposure and aging skin are shocking. The majority of skin’s aging is caused by sun exposure. The majority of sun exposure takes place during your day-to-day activities. This means you need not bake on the beach to rack up brown spots, sunspots, fine lines, wrinkles, freckles, and other sun-damage skin concerns. You are most at risk for sun damage at times when need for skin protection may not be obvious. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, up to 80 percent of the sun’s UV rays can pass through clouds. This is the reason people often end up with serious sunburns on overcast days if they’ve spent time outside with no sun protection.
Want to Slow the Aging Process? It’s Time to Protect Against Sun Damage
When it comes to sun damage, we at SkinCenter strongly believe in preventative skin care (a.k.a. skin pre-juvenation). As mentioned in one of our previous blogs, “Pre-juvenation is the early use of anti-aging treatments to prevent fine lines and wrinkles from forming.” According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, 23% of the sun damage you’ll experience in your lifetime occurs by the age of 18, with further sun damage accruing as the years go on. Skin damage continues to influence how your skin ages as you get older, beyond the poor sun exposure decisions you once made as a teen. The preventative decisions you make now will impact your skin health and skin appearance for years to come. In order to prevent the sun damage of tomorrow, you must start today!
SPF to The Rescue
Your skin needs to be taken care of in the same way you care for the rest of your body’s health. After all, the skin is the largest organ of the body, and sun damage is more than just a short-term, aesthetic concern. It can and will become a long-term issue if you don’t take proper precautions. Probably the most significant method of prevention for sun damage is to slather on some high-quality sunscreen. A sunscreen’s SPF stands for sun protection factor, which gives information on the products ability to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Most of us are aware of this—but did you know that a sunscreen’s SPF number actually determines the duration of time the product will protect your skin before you need to reapply it? According to the American Skin Association, you simply need to multiply the SPF number of the product by the amount of time it takes you to burn from sun exposure. For example, let’s say you typically burn within 30 minutes of being in the sun. So, an SPF 15 sunscreen will protect your skin for approximately 5 hours (SPF 15 x 30 minutes = 450 minutes or 7.5 hours). You’ll want to reapply your sunscreen at or before that 5-hour mark in order to prevent sun burn and skin damage.
It’s important to note that the rate at which you burn can be influenced by the skin’s pigment, the altitude, and whether or not you have gone swimming or are perspiring. Moreover, certain medications such as birth control pills, antibiotics, antihistamines and more can increase the skin’s sensitivity to the sun, therefore increasing risk of skin damage. Our rule of thumb? If the sun is up, you should be wearing sunscreen—no exceptions. Sun damage effects even the darkest of skin pigments; skin cancer does not discriminate! And yes, this rule still applies when it’s raining, snowing, or significantly cloudy.
Westchester’s Favorite Sunscreen: SkinCeuticals Light Moisture UV Defense SPF 50 Face & Body
Our skincare experts recommend SkinCeuticals Light Moisture UV Defense SPF 50 Face & Body. SkinCeuticals launched this new, high quality SPF this year, and Westchester can’t seem to get enough of this oil-free sunscreen. As its name suggests, it can be used on both the body and the face. It’s also safe for all skin types. SkinCeuticals Light Moisture UV Defense SPF absorbs into the skin rapidly, so you can say goodbye to the white residue that most sunscreens leave behind. The product has both moisturizing and protective properties.
What’s more, SkinCeuticals Light Moisture UV Defense SPF 50 is fragrance-free, paraben-free and non-comedogenic; making this product the perfect sunscreen for everyday wear. From the office, to the pool, this universal sunscreen is a universal product and a great solution for daily sun protection. Its weightless formula applies effortlessly, and it never feels greasy!
The multi-faceted sunscreen protects skin from the entire spectrum of UVB and UVA rays. It’s emollient and profoundly hydrating, which makes it perfect for year-round wear, especially in the winter when harsh weather conditions can leave your skin feeling dry and flakey.
SkinCeuticals’ forward-thinking approach makes sun protection easy. Formulated for the face and body, this oil free sunscreen thoroughly moisturizes as it protects, leaving skin feeling comfortable and soothed.
Categories:
Skin Care Products, Skin Care Tips
Tags:
fragrance free sunscreen, non-comedogenic sunscreen, oil free sunscreen, paraben-free sunscreen, skin care, skin care tips, skin protection, Skincare, SkinCeuticals, Sun Damage, sun exposure, sun protection, sunscreen, Westchester Skin Care
