Friday, January 29, 2010

Why You Have To Always Have Sunscreens

By Jake Zertosky

Using sunscreen is an important part of a skin care regimen. It helps protect from the sun's dangerous ultra-violet (UV) rays and protect against sunburn. Sun damage can cause cancer and premature aging. There are a variety of different sunscreens on the market today.

UVA and UVB rays from the sun can cause cancer. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with an estimated one million cases each year. UVR damages the skin's layers that give skin its supple and youthful appearance. Repeated sun exposure can also cause liver spots and aging spots.

An SPF of fifteen or more is your best bet for protecting against the sun's dangerous rays. Certain moisturizers and men's aftershave contain sunscreen and can be used for daily protection. Look around for different kind and see if you can get one that has sunscreen in it for the best protection.

Sun damage also causes wrinkles and sagging and advanced aging to the skin. It is under the layers of skin so cannot be seen and the damage is not known until well later on. The skin can look weathered and aged from too much sun.

Photoaging can cause wrinkles around the eyes and other skin related problems. Once sun damage has ravaged the skin it is very hard to reverse the damage. There are some laser surgeries and creams you can try but it's best to try not to have much damage in the first place.

Anyone over the age of six is recommended to wear sunscreen when going out in the sun. Children should not be exposed to the sun for too long. Overcast or not, the sun's rays still penetrate and are harmful. After water exposure and sweating the sunscreen should be reapplied.

If you like to tan and don't burn and still want to be in the sun yet tan, try to at least use a tanner that has sunscreen in it. This way you'll still get tan but the most harmful rays will be blocked. It just takes a little longer for the skin to tan with this applied. There are also self tanning sprays and lotions that don't leave the skin orange.

A self tanner will only dye the layer of skin on top and is totally low risk. The worst that can happen is a skin rash or reaction. Some self tanners even contain SPF, and these are the best to get, with an SPF of fifteen or more.

Some types of sunscreen have more protection than others do and others may be better at deflecting harmful UV rays. There are now some products that are said to give one hundred percent complete protection from the sun. Check labels and shop around before buying one to make sure you have the most protection.

Either way it's always smart to wear some type of sunblock, lotion or sunscreen in the sun before venturing out for prolonged exposure. Besides resisting sun damage your skin will look better in the long run. Be sure to always use sunscreen when on the beach, boat or swimming especially, and to reapply after activities to make sure you have maximum protection.

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