How to Make Sure That the Sun Doesn’t Tan You

When it comes to anti-aging and the wellness and wellbeing of your skin, there is one tip that surpasses all others in terms of importance: stay out of the sun. Skin tanning has increased, especially as harmful UV rays start to penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere more prominently. We’re not just talking about lying on a beach getting a deliberate tan, either. Tanning can occur when you are going about your daily life, due to the prevalence of these harmful UV rays. It is a problem for both men and women, and something that all people should be aware of at all ages.

 

To protect your skin from tanning, you should ensure that you put in place a robust skin care regime. Prolonged exposure to the harsh sun can cause burns as well as leading to sun spots on the skin, but there are things that you can do to reduce tanning. These are natural ways that do not involve using sun blocks or sun lotions (many of which are quite ineffective).

 

It is important to use a sun block or lotion whenever you are out in the sun, but it is not enough to simply rely on this to protect you from tanning. The easiest and most convenient way of protecting your skin from tanning is to cover it up. Cover your hands and legs and your face when you are out.

 

A decent scrub can also help to remove tan from the skin. Every time you have been exposed to the sun, you should use a good scrub to remove dead skin cells and tan. If you don’t manage to do this every day, then aim for at least once a week to get the tan off your skin. Do not bleach your skin – ever. When you bleach your skin and then expose it to the sun, you are actually more susceptible to tanning than ever before.

Categories: aging, bleach, harmful uv, nbsp, rays, skin, tan, Tanning, uv rays

What is Tanning Really Doing to Your Skin?

There’s no such thing as a healthy tan, whether you’ve done it naturally or with the use of a sun bed. Exposing yourself to too much ultraviolet radiation is extremely dangerous for your health, leading to sunburn, eye damage, and an increased risk of skin cancer. In order to really protect yourself from this damage, you should educate yourself on the risks of the sun and how you can protect your skin in the future. Ultraviolet, or UV, rays are a type of invisible light given off by the sun and certain kinds of lamps such as tanning beds. There are differences between UVA and UVB rays, such as how deep they penetrate the skin, but both are associated with health risks and sun lamps emit both kinds. Depending on the kind of sunbed you’re using will depend on how strong the lamp is, and as such how strong the exposure to these damaging rays is. Studies show that a tanning bed can emit up to 15 times the amount of UVA radiation that the sun produces. This goes some way to showing just how damaging these rays are.

 

Exposing your skin to UV rays produces a tanned effect, which has become increasingly desirable in recent years. You may think you’re achieving that healthy glow you’ve been craving, but the reality is that a tan is the sign of damaged skin. Many people also mistakenly believe that tanning on  sunbed provides a certain level of natural protection from sunburn on holidays to sunnier climes. This isn’t true, and actually provides very limited protection from solar UV. It’s not all bad news, of course – sunbeds do help to kill germs and treat some skin conditions, such as rickets, eczema and psoriasis, but the UV radiation you’re exposed to far outweighs the benefits. You shouldn’t attempt to treat these conditions with UV radiation without consulting your GP first, as it can be very dangerous. One of the common associations with UV radiation is that your body produces the much-sought after vitamin D after your skin is exposed to it. Your body can change how much this happens though, such as your skin pigmentation, age and how much sunscreen you use. In addition to this, there have been no studies as to whether UV-induced vitamin D synthesis can happen without increasing your risk of skin cancer. You can source vitamin D far more safely from your diet, by eating more eggs, fish and fortified products like bread and cereal. Supplements are also useful if you’re finding that you’re not getting enough vitamin D through your diet alone.

If you are exposing yourself to solar UV radiation, you should try to protect your skin as best you can. Try to find shade where possible, and always wear sunscreen to protect your skin. Wear protective clothing, such as sunglasses and a hat, and try to avoid sitting in the direct sunlight between 11am and 4pm as this is when it is at its strongest. If you have young children, they should be discouraged from spending too much time out in the sun. If you are going to use sunbeds, make sure that you follow safe practices outlined by the staff and check that the bed you’re using has been labelled for safety, so that you know it is as safe as it can be. Too much sun exposure can be very dangerous, as well as causing premature ageing, so it’s best to avoid it where possible to keep your skin healthy.

Categories: radiation, rays, skin, Skin Cancer, solar uv, Sun Exposure, Tanning, uv radiation, uv rays, vitamin

Five Skincare Mistakes to Avoid for a Flawless Complexion

Every now and then, you may become enthused to start-up a skin care routine to boost your anti-ageing wellness, but sticking to it isn’t easy. There’s always another “miracle” product or device that promises to take years off you, but according to dermatologist Dr. Amy Wechsler, a flawless complexion comes from good skin habits, rather than slathering expensive creams on your face. So what are the five most common skin care mistakes?

 

1. Tanning. Dr Wechsler explains, ‘The cosmetic hook is what gets younger people. The skin cancer hook is like, “Oh, you know what. There will be a cure for that.” It’s natural as an adolescent to feel invincible from those things, but if you don’t wear sunscreen and you’re in the sun a lot or going to the tanning both, you will look ten years older than your peers who are doing all this stuff.’

 

2. Not getting enough sleep. Dr Wechsler notes that sleep is important for skin, as otherwise your skin can become dull, dry and more wrinkled. ‘It’s really important to get seven-and-a-half to eight hours of sleep every night. That’s when our skin heals and restores itself.”

 

3. Forgetting to remove make-up. ‘Sleeping with a face full of make up is really bad,’ Dr Wechsler says. ‘It can irritate your skin and clog your pores, so it’s really important to wash your face before bed. Follow that with a good moisturiser.’ If your skin is well-moisturised, it will appear less dry and wrinkly.

 

4. Over exfoliation. When you exfoliate, you remove the dead cells from your skin. However, according to Dr Wechsler, ‘A lot of women are doing it in too rough of a way. It should never hurt or sting or burn. If you overly exfoliate, you’ll irritate your skin and you can also break out more.’

 

5. Skipping sun cream. While you may cover yourself with sun cream during the summer, Dr Wechsler advises that you should put on sun cream every day. Depending on your skin tone and the season, you need to put factor 20-30 on after washing your face in the morning.

Categories: Exfoliation, sleep, Tanning