Dermatologist Dr. Renee Cobos contributed this post to encourage readers to protect themselves from the sun’s rays now that summer has arrived.
SUNSCREEN IS YOUR FRIEND
Sun damage — in the form of wrinkles, age spots and discoloration — is responsible for most of the skin damage associated with aging, and therefore is one of the most common reasons why people get cosmetic surgery. Yet, a recent study conducted by Consumer Reports found that 31 percent of participants said they never wear sunscreen, even if they are outdoors for more than four hours. Yikes.
If you want to keep your skin looking young and beautiful for as long as possible, sunscreen is your best friend. I recite this to my patients countless times a day, “One minute of sun a day = over six hours of sun in a year; a little bit every day adds up to a lot of damage.”
The very best beauty advice I can give is to make wearing sunscreen a habit, like brushing your teeth. Wear sunscreen every day. And remember, it’s not just your face that shows age, so make sure you apply it all over your body.
Here’s what you need to know to keep out those evil, wrinkle-causing rays:
1. SPF isn’t enough. We’ve all heard “the higher the better” in regard to SPF, or Sun Protection Factor. SPF is important, but now we know that it’s not enough. SPF is an indicator of how well a lotion protects skin from the sun’s UVB (ultraviolet B) rays - the rays that are linked to sunburn. But here’s the catch: recent research has found that both UVB and UVA (ultraviolet A) rays can damage the skin. In fact, it turns out that UVA rays go even deeper and cause skin to age. Both types of rays increase chances of developing skin cancer.
2. Look for Parsol 1789. To make sure you get UVA protection, there are a few ingredients to look for. The most common one is a chemical called avobenzone, which shows up on labels under the names “Parsol 1789″ and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane. Products that contain this ingredient often say “broad-spectrum protection” on the front of the bottle, but it’s best to check the ingredients yourself.
Most “broad-spectrum” sunscreens today add either Parsol 1789 or a more problematic ingredient — oxybenzone, which is easily absorbed through skin, has a high rate of allergic reactions, and has aroused concerns about hormone disruption.
For more information about the contents of sunscreen, see “About Active Ingredients” by the Environmental Working Group.
3. Re-apply every two hours. The problem with sunscreens that protect against both UVB and UVA rays, is that they don’t last very long. So apply every two hours to ensure protection. It’s worth inconvenience and the risk of sporting the not-so-subtle, white sunscreen “glow.”
4. 80% are harmful. An investigation by the Environmental Working Group found that four out of five of the most popular brand-name sun protection products “contain chemicals that may pose health hazards or don’t adequately protect skin from the sun’s damaging rays.” The investigation also found that claims such as “waterproof” and “all day protection” are commonly false. To make sure your sunscreen measures up, check it against the list of approved products at this Web site.
5. Throw out the old stuff. Pay attention to expiration dates on sunscreen. If they’re more than a year old, throw them out, they aren’t worth the cabinet space.
6. Lather up. The recommended amount of sunscreen is one ounce, which is the size of a shot glass. It may seem like a lot, but that’s how much it takes to cover your body.
Dr. Renee Cobos, a board-certified dermatologist, is the founder and medical director of the Premiere Dermatology & Laser Center in Fullerton. She also is an assistant clinical professor in dermatology at UCI Medical School.
