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Sun is the #1 cause of aging
Don't kid yourself—no matter how much you love it, the sun does not love you back. According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, 90 percent of all premature aging and skin cancers are caused by sun exposure. Wearing an SPF 15 or higher every day is the single best skincare product you can use on your skin. SPF is proven to be the most effective way to fight aging, case closed.
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Sunscreen should be worn year round
SPF is not just for summer anymore. UVA and UVB rays penetrate the atmosphere 365 days per year, and you don't have to be sunbathing to incur damage—the sun still shines on you when you're driving or walking out to grab lunch. New reports are warning us that the damage incurred from this incidental exposure can add up; after a year it's equal to the sun damage equivalent of a week soaking up the rays in St. Barths.
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Clouds, water, and snow can cause burns
Just because you can't see the sun doesn't mean it can't see you. According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, clouds block as little as 20 percent of harmful UV radiation. And reflective surfaces like water, sand, concrete, and snow bounce back as much as 80 percent of the sun's rays.
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Tanning beds are NOT healthy
The tanning industry has mounted an aggressive campaign aimed at minimizing the dangers of tanning beds—maintaining that indoor tanning is actually healthy. This is simply not true. According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, tanning is caused by the brown pigment melanin. Upon sun exposure, it is produced and distributed in the top layers of the skin. This pigment minimally protects the skin against further UV damage. But, the important point is that UV-induced DNA damage must have happened to create the tan in the first place. In fact, a recent study directly linked tanning device use to basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, the most common skin cancers.
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Protect yourself
Now that you're sufficiently warned, here's what you can do to protect yourself. Proper sun protection on a daily basis is vital in the fight against aging and skin cancer. Use an SPF 15 or higher year-round, over (or in) your moisturizer in the morning. The SPF factor indicates how many times longer you can remain in the sun before beginning to burn while wearing sun protection, as opposed to if you were not wearing any sunscreen at all. However, do not be fooled into a false sense of sun safety. To maintain its protection level, sunscreen must be reapplied every two hours regardless of its SPF (i.e. don't go longer between applications with an SPF 50 than you would with an SPF 15). In addition to wearing an SPF, you should practice other sun-safe behavior, like seeking shade between 10 AM and 4 PM and covering up with clothing, including UV-blocking sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat.
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Choose your SPF wisely
Make sure your SPF is broad spectrum (it'll say so on the bottle), which means that it contains ingredients that protect against both UVA and UVB rays. The key ingredients to look for are: oxybenzone, avobenzone (Parsol 1789), titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide. Also, you have the option of choosing between products that contain SPF: More companies are formulating their moisturizers, tinted moisturizers, foundations, and pressed powders with SPF. Choose the formulation that suits you, and do not use more than one—mixing too many different SPF's may cause sensitivity. The more chemicals you put on your skin, the greater chance for irritation. In addition, some sunscreen ingredients may not work well together. Once you've chosen your sunscreen, make sure to apply it liberally, over all exposed surfaces of your face and body. Since SPF's potency can break down throughout the day, pack an SPF-packed powder or an SPF stick in your purse for touch-ups on the go.
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But you still want a tan
Taniacs rejoice: Today's bronzers and self-tanners have left their orangy-ancestors in the dust. Now, they bestow a believable, bronzed finish, allowing you to achieve a sun-kissed look, year round. To ensure an even tan, make sure to shave your legs and exfoliate before applying self-tanner. Smooth it on sparingly, avoiding places where there's thicker skin, like the heels, knees, and elbows. And remember, most self-tanners do not contain an SPF, so you still need to use an SPF 15 or higher daily.
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