You Need to Know This about Sun Exposure
Jun 15, 2021
Summer is here and many people are making up for what they missed last year. If you are heading out to the shore, the pool, or even a backyard barbeque or two, your chances of sustaining sun damage are elevated.
Summer is here and many people are making up for what they missed last year. If you are heading out to the shore, the pool, or even a backyard barbeque or two, your chances of sustaining sun damage are elevated. Here, we want to circle back to the basics about sun exposure and how to protect your skin. There may be a few points here that you didn’t know, so read to the end.
- Spray-on sunscreen only works if you rub it in. Spray-on sunscreens are popular for their ease of use. They’re especially useful for parents who must protect the skin of squirming children anxious to get to the business of playing. When using these products, it is essential to apply correctly. Without a good rub, spray sunscreen just leaves tiny particles on the skin, reducing its protective benefits.
- Your car isn’t necessarily a safe place for sun protection. You may realize that your arms could get sunburned if you drive with your window down and your arm perched. However, you may not know that your car windows, including the windshield, may not filter UV rays. The sunlight that comes through your car windows gets absorbed into the skin. Common areas affected include the hands, arms, legs, chest, and face.
- There’s no such thing as waterproof sunscreen. One of the most common mistakes that people make is thinking that water-resistant sunscreen is waterproof. These products, though made to protect even when you’re swimming or sweating, still break down over time. They’re effective for 40 to 80 minutes only, so need to be reapplied about every hour to prevent sun damage.
- Sunburn is not the only form of sun damage that may occur. We often talk about the damage of a sunburn, but we also must point out that sun damage occurs far more quickly than people think. The moment that UV light is absorbed into the skin, DNA damage begins. This means that those jaunts to the coffee shop or walks in the park are incurring sun damage. Your quick walk from your car to your office is resulting in sun damage. This damage accumulates over the years and contributes to premature aging as well as skin cancer risk.
We’re all about enjoying the sunshine, and also all about maintaining healthy, beautiful skin. To schedule a dermatologic consultation or skin cancer screening at our office in Teaneck, NJ, call 201-836-9696.