Guest Post: 4 tips for protecting your skin from the sun

Proper summer-time sun protection is one of those things that many people forget to take care of for years. They feel fine, aside from the occasional sunburn or two, and think nothing of it; that is, until a doctor discovers skin cancer one day -of all the cancer types, probably one of the most easy to avoid. Cancer risks aside, letting your skin get baked by the sun on a daily basis any time the sun gets nice and hot is a great way to wrinkle earlier in life and create other skin effects that can ruin a smooth unblemished look.

To cover just a few: overexposing your skin can cause anything from several types of carcinoma and melanoma, skin lesions, freckles, wrinkles to dermal discoloration.

Here are several sun protection tips that will let you enjoy the lovely summer rays without all the danger.

Cover Up Effectively

Of course, you don't want to be completely wrapped up like a mummy whenever you're out in the summer sun, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't at least cover your skin from needless exposure. If you're just walking around and running errands, or maybe working in the open midday sunlight, use a hat, put on some sunglasses with good UV protection and wear shirts with longer sleeves. Unless you're sun tanning, these are the best and first line of protection so use them when there is no good reason to expose.

Avoid the Worst Sunlight

Not all the sun's rays that pass through a day are created equal. The sun is at it's worst by far between the hours of 11 am and 2 pm. If you want to be extra cautious, between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. Avoid the direct sunlight during these hours and you drop your chances of dangerous UV exposure dramatically. Instead of going to the beach at midday, wait to have a nice afternoon barbeque and beer get-together with friends; the water is warmest in the afternoon anyhow. If you're out during the hottest hours, try to stick to the shade and take a beach umbrella if you go to the beach.

Slather on the Sunscreen

This is an obvious step in protecting yourself from the sun. Buy yourself a good quality sunscreen that has a Sun Protection Factor of at least 35 and apply it whenever you're at the beach or heavily exposed to the UV rays. If you're swimming or sweating a lot during the day, make sure you reapply the sunscreen every two or three hours. Slather it particularly generously on your shoulders, back, arms and face. If you're bald, don't forget to protect your dome.

Take Care of Your Skin

Your skin is the single most beautiful organ on your body, the one you'll have to show to everyone for as long as you live; take good care of it. This means that, aside from all the usual sun protection tips, you should also get it regularly checked up by a general practitioner or even a dermatologist. Keep an eye out for any strange lesions and moles, and get them checked out if you find them. As a final skin care tip, use moisturizing creams and vitamin supplements that are known to improve skin quality, in addition to the sunscreen you apply daily while in the sunlight.



Debbie Sweet has worked as a skin care specialist for many years and has handled a wide range of acne treatments.