Thursday, October 25, 2007

Dangers of the Sun

Cold weather is on its way. But before you bundle up to face the cold, don’t forget the most important layer, sunscreen! With the summer sun gone, you may not think that sunscreen is important anymore. However, with more than 1.6 million Americans diagnosed with skin cancer every year, it’s key to wear sunscreen year round. Even during cold weather, we are subjected to harmful rays that can reflect off snow and other surfaces and cause long-term skin damage.

It seems like all light is the same, but it’s not! UVB light rays are responsible for those nasty summer sunburns. But don’t let yourself fall into a false sense of security when the heat of summer fades away. Although, UVB rays aren’t as strong as the weather cools, we are subjected to UVA lights year round. These rays are responsible for skin cancer and premature aging. Skin protection is critical to keep your skin looking younger, longer. As the skin cancer epidemic continues to grow, many cosmetic companies are working to makes skin protection a part of life rather than a hassle. Buy foundation or lotions with an SPF of at least 15 to keep your face looking beautiful and fresh. Avoid glossy lip glosses with little pigmentation. These simply work as oil directing damaging UV rays to the lips.

If the risk of looking wrinkled and old at a young age is not enough reason to protect your skin from the sun, think about the health risks.

  • According to the American Skin Cancer Foundation, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States.
  • One in 5 Americans and one in 3 Caucasians will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.
  • More than 90 percent of all skin cancers are caused by sun exposure.
  • A person's risk for skin cancer doubles if he or she has had five or more sunburns.

The pressures of young Hollywood lead many to believe that tan is beautiful. A golden glow may be tempting, but is it worth the risk of looking like leather face a few years down the road? To stay young, healthy, and beautiful for life, avoid tanning beds, use a daily sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher (and reapply often), and incorporate skin protection into your daily regimen. So, enjoy the sun--safely!

1 comment:

Laster said...

You're right. It is really easy to not think about sunscreen when it is cold outside (or even cloudy since you still get the harmful rays then). I have burned myself several times when it was cold outside because I just never thought about needing to put sunscreen on. I definitely do not want to get skin cancer later on in life. I now wear face lotion that has an SPF of 15 everyday. You discussed how protecting your skin is key in making your skin look younger. This is so true plus using sunscreen now is way cheaper than trying to take years off your skin later in life by expensive treatments. Don't forget about protecting your neck. I seem to forget it a lot. Keeping sun damage from your neck will make you look much younger.