Purely Personal Skin Care

It’s summertime, and the days are both long and hot. During the hotter days of summer, it’s important for people to take the proper precautions to protect themselves from serious conditions like heat stroke and skin cancer.

To prevent heat stroke, make sure to drink plenty of water, and as much as possible, stay indoors and remain cool. It’s good to note that other drinks like juice, coffee, and soda don’t help hydrate the body, so drink water above all else in hot water. The most common cause of heat stroke is dehydration. In order to avoid skin cancer and sunburn, it’s a good idea to put on sunscreen whenever venturing outdoors. Make sure to get it on all the exposed areas of skin, and don’t miss the most commonly ignored areas including the tops of the ears and the back of the neck. It’s also a good idea to wear sunglasses to protect the eyes from the sun’s harmful rays. Taking these steps will ensure a more enjoyable summer with plenty of fun in the sun!

A zinc based sunscreen is a must.  You may find it in a daytime moisturizer that combines rejuvenation with sun protection.  Such a product will prevent damage from the sun and also age spots and freckles.  Zinc oxide calms the skin and reduces redness caused by hormonal fluctuations brought on by oral contraceptives, perimenopause and menopause itself.  Many women have found that estrogen supplements cause blotching of the skin.

In choosing a sunscreen, find one you really like – smell, thickness, texture and how it looks on the skin.  You certainly don’t want a sunscreen that burns your eyes or smells bad.  Be certain to look for zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide as well as moisturizing ingredients.  Women may want to choose two sunscreens, one for the face, with a tint, and one for the rest of the body.  The active ingredients should be the same but a tinted moisturizing sunscreen works best for the face.

Often tinted sunscreens are the most popular since they give the complexion a more “finished” look in addition to protecting and moisturizing.  A tint works well with zinc oxide in order to avoid the chaulky white cast that often accompanies zinc oxide.  Knowing you should re-apply sunscreen every couple of hours when you’re in the sun – it makes a lot more sense to have the tint in the sunscreen in order to avoid having to also reapply makeup.  The sunscreen can deliver both – protection and a “finished” look.

You guys don’t have to worry about the same things women do – except the same active ingredients should be in your sunscreens as well – zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide and in a quantity of at least 3%, preferably higher.  We all have to worry about damage from the UV rays the sun delivers – skin cancer knows no gender.

At all times of the year, athletes may be at risk for skin cancer due to exposure to higher than normal amounts of UV rays because of their training and competition schedules.  Sun screens and protective clothing could be deterrants and help reduce that risk.  However, many athletes pay little attention to the ravages of the sun.

Athletes are at risk for sunburn as they are exposed to the sun for long periods of time.  A study cites cyclists at the Tour de Suisse as being exposed to approximately eight times more than the minimal dose of UV sun rays needed to cause sunburn.  In addition, skiers and snowboarders have a triple threat:  higher altitudes, reflection off the snow and ice and the direct rays of the sun.  Sunblock is essential during winter sports as well as summer.

Coaches and trainers are also at risk as they spend the same amount of time in the sun that the athletes do.  Look for sunscreens with at least 5%  zinc oxide and titanium dioxide and apply every two hours.  Sunblocks with those two ingredients plus a moisturizer can keep skin healthy and also act to prevent wrinkles and premature aging.

Sun avoidance and regular use of sun block are usually promoted by organizations, doctors and other individuals interested in skin cancer prevention.  However, 70% of those participating in a beach survey were on the beach for an average of four hours, and only half were using any sunscreen.

Skin cancer reports should carry such a compelling message these days, compared to fifty years ago when the sun was regarded as being much more friendly.  Sunblocks and Sunscreens are advertised and touted everywhere.  You would think compliance would be close to universal as warnings and information are distributed in all media.  “The sun can hurt you!  The sun can kill you!”

Well, some people do use sunscreen to prevent sunburn, whereas many use it just to improve sun tanning.  A lot of people wish to avoid the wrinkling associated with sun exposure, yet others just use sun block to prolong their time in the sun to prevent burning.

If seat-belts can become mandatory, can sun block be next?  Why not?  Medical bills and funerals traced to sun induced skin cancer are huge.