abcreads: Summer Skin Care

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Summer Skin Care

As we approach the warmer summer months, it’s time to start thinking again about sunscreen. Maybe you’re someone who dreads this extra step in your daily routine. Or maybe, like me, your family refers to you as the “sunscreen police.” Either way, year-round sun protection is a health precaution we all must take.

Sure, lying out and cultivating that perfect tan seems worthwhile in the moment, but down the road, is that bronze hue you seek really worth the appearance of crow’s feet and fine lines? And prolonged and/or unprotected exposure to the sun also puts you at risk for skin cancer and melanoma.

A lot of this may seem old hat, but consider the following surprising statistics:

“Forty percent of Americans do not wear sunscreen.” (1)

“One in five Americans will get some form of skin cancer-men especially, since they don't use makeup and moisturizers with SPF like women do.” (2)

“Twenty-seven percent of parents with kids under twelve years old say they never or only sometimes apply sunscreen on their kids when they're outside for 2 to 4 hours. And 14 percent say they don't even apply sunscreen on their kids when they're outside for more than four hours." (2)

“The regular application of sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 15 or more during a 5-year treatment period reduced the incidence of new primary melanomas during a subsequent 10-year follow-up period, report the [Australian] study authors.” (3)

“You should never apply self-tanner before going out into the sun, unless you use a sunscreen first. Most self-tanners work by using dihydroxyacetone (DHA) as the main ingredient. According to a 2007 study published in Germany, DHA causes the skin to release 180% more free radicals once exposed to the sun. Therefore sun protection is extremely important when you have used self-tanners containing DHA within the past 24 hours.” (4)

“According to dermatologist Jessica Wu, M.D., on her Everyday Health blog, ‘Up to 84 percent of UV rays can bounce off the sand and water, and reach you even under the umbrella.’ So, even if you’re sitting under an umbrella, be sure to reapply your sunscreen every two hours – or sooner, if you’re sweating or swimming.” (5)

“Most of us don’t think twice about walking to the mailbox or sitting by a window at work without having sunscreen on. But this kind of incidental exposure can still be damaging – and we actually get lots of it. In fact, the amount of incidental exposure we get can be considered a part-time job. According to Prevention, the average person gets 14 hours of exposure per week!” (6)

I don’t know about you, but finding out some of the above was very eye-opening for this blogger. Want to become more sun and skin savvy? Check out some relevant titles we have in the library catalog!

The Beauty Bible: From Acne to Wrinkles and Everything in Between: Every Woman's Skin-Care and Makeup Application Guide by Paula Begoun

Dr. Denese's Secrets for Ageless Skin: Younger Skin in 8 Weeks by Adrienne Denese

Face Care: The Plan for Looking Younger Longer by Gerald Imber, M.D. and Stephen Brill Kurtin, M.D.

Naturally Healthy Skin: Tips and Techniques for a Lifetime of Radiant Skin by Stephanie Tourles

The New Science of Perfect Skin: Understanding Skin Care Myths and Miracles for Radiant Skin at Any Age by Daniel B. Yarosh

Secrets of Great Skin: The Definitive Guide to Anti-aging Skin Care by David J. Goldberg and Eva. M. Herriott

Skin Secrets: The Medical Facts versus the Beauty Fiction by Nicholas Lowe and Polly Sellar

Skin Sense: A Dermatologist's Complete Guide to Your Family's Skin Care by Garry Gewritzman

Skin Wise: A Guide to Healthy Skin for Women edited by Annette Callan