Time to dispose of some well-known sunscreen “facts” that aren’tย actually true at all. You might think that suggesting that you worryย about sun protection in the middle of the winter demonstratesย particularly bad timing on our part, but please read on. There areย some very good reasons why it’s never a bad time to think aboutย protection from the sun.
Myth 1: It’s only necessary to use sunscreen to prevent sunburnย while tanning.
Sadly, no. Exposure to sunlight, over time, will cause prematureย aging of the skin. This damage is not limited to your face and willย happen even if you’re on vacation, sitting on a beach under anย umbrella, swimming, wearing clothing, and even when you’re out andย about on a cloudy day. Most importantly, you can damage your skinย without even knowing it, and certainly without necessarily feeling your skin burning.
Recently there have been important changes to theย way that sunscreen is used – instead of reserving its use for daysย when you know you’ll be exposed to a lot of sunlight (vacation,ย hiking, outdoor events), more and more people are incorporating itย into their daily skin care regimen. And with this trend we seeย sunscreen products evolving away from heavy, greasy creams, towardsย products that incorporate moisturizers, and are far more easilyย applied to, and absorbed by, the skin.
Myth 2: One sunscreen product is much like another.
The most obviousย difference between different sunscreen products is the degree ofย protection from sunlight ultra-violet rays that they provide. A sunscreen product’s SPF (Sun Protection Factor) rating is a measureย of how effectively a product protects your skin. SPF ratingsย typically range from 15 at the low end, up to 50 or even more at theย high end. However, the SPF scale is not linear, and high-SPF ratedย products may not offer significantly greater protection thanย low-rated ones. We believe it’s more important to find a sunscreenย product that you’re comfortable applying several times a day than toย choose a product based simply on its SPF rating.
Aside from their SPF factor, products differ widely in the degreeย to which they offer protection when exposed to water. Regardless ofย what the manufacturers claim, no sunscreen is completely waterproof.ย You should re-apply sunscreen several times during the day toย maintain effective protection, as well as immediately following anyย water exposure. Bear in mind that sunscreens also take severalย minutes to be absorbed by the skin, and so should be applied severalย minutes before exposing yourself to water.
Myth 3: Most sun damage occurs when young, so it’s not as importantย to protect against sun damage when older.
Unfortunately not. Damage from the sun is cumulative and takesย place regardless of your age. Given the average life span, less thanย 25% of your lifetime exposure to sunlight occurs before the age ofย 18, so there’s plenty of time (and reason) for you to take care ofย your skin as you age, regardless of how well (or not) you protectedย your skin when younger.
Myth 4: Wearing sunscreen reduces one’s Vitamin D levels.
Today we are more aware of health problems that can be caused byย low levels of vitamin D in the body, and people with low levels ofย vitamin D can easily combat this by taking supplements. Although theย body uses sunlight to make vitamin D, and although sunscreenย obviously works to limit sunlight exposure, medical studies haveย concluded that sunscreen application does not have a significantย effect on most people’s levels of vitamin D. Age, skin color, andย weight (only one of which we have any control over!) have more effectย on our levels of vitamin D.
Myth 5: Having olive or dark-skin means that I can’t burn.
Our last myth to bust is a very pervasive one: does having oliveย or dark skin allow one to spend more time in the sun withoutย protection? In a word, no. Having darker skin may mean that one burnsย more slowly, but anyone can suffer damage from too much sunlightย exposure, regardless of skin color. Unfortunately, even thoughย very dark complexioned people are less likely to develop skin cancer,ย those that do are more likely to develop complications.ย Melanoma is a particularly dangerous form of skin cancer, and having aย dark complexion can lead to delays in diagnosing the condition.
Using sunscreen on a regular basis is something that we ALL need to do. A related belief is that maintaining a tan will provide someย degree of protection against further damage to the skin. This isย quite simply not true, and we strongly recommend against usingย tanning salons, for all skin types. The World Health Organizationย lists tanning beds as one of the most dangerous sources ofย cancer-causing radiation. In fact, using artificial tanning beds before theย age of 35 more than doubles your chances of developing skin cancerย later in life.
Los Angeles IPL and Skin Rejuvenation
Our office provides IPL and skin rejuvenation treatments to combat the effects of sun damage and premature aging. With our non-invasive and innovative treatments, we can work on removing and resurfacing your skin for a healthier, more youthful appearance.
Your Laser Skin Care in Los Angeles specializes in Botox and Fillers injections, laser hair removal, vein therapy, chemical peels and IPL among many other services. Please call us at (323) 525-1516 or visit us online atย yourlaserdev.wpenginepowered.comย to schedule a free consultation.
