Sun Protection is Vital

The aim of this blog post is to provide awareness of the importance of sun protection and to highlight which sun protection products are suitable for your skin type.

"Slip Slop Slap" is a saying many Australians grew up with. In the 80's the cancer council launched a very important campaign to encourage people to protect their skins from the harsh Australian sun.
Slip on a shirt, Slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat. A powerful message aimed at preventing skin cancer.

Yet many of us think that they should only protect their skin when they go to the beach or are on holiday in the sun. It appears that wearing sun protection on a daily basis is not a priority. It should be!

Additionally many feel that sun protection is not needed whilst driving.

Look at the photo below.

Picture: NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE

Extreme I know! This man is a truck driver. One side of his face is so sun damaged that the difference between both sides is a prime example of how powerful UV rays can damage your skin.  

The Main Benefits of Full Spectrum Sunscreens.

1. Reduce the risk of skin cancer
Sunscreens have been proven to reduce the development of skin cancer, as they shield the skin from harmful UV rays.

2. Anti-ageing
Daily use of sunscreens will eliminate free radical damage which can age the skin prematurely. A sunscreen is the best anti-ageing product you can use.. so start using this while you are young!

3. Prevent pigmentation
The skin will produce melanin when under trauma from the sun. This can cause pigmentation. A sunscreen will help to prevent the activation of melanin by protecting the skin.

The following video perfectly demonstrates what your skin looks like under a UV light and how sunscreen protects your skin.

UVA and UVB rays.

Ultraviolet radiation(UV) is simply a form of energy eminating from the sun. The main two types of UV rays which penetrate down to the earth levels are UVA and UVB.

UVA

• always present throughout the day no matter the season.
• can penetrate through glass and are the most responsible for premature ageing as they have the ability to penetrate deeper into the surface of the skin.
• can contribute towards skin cancer.
• has the same strength all year round regardless of temperature.
• when you think of UVA rays think of sunspots, leathery skin and wrinkles. 

UVB

• responsible for photo ageing, skin cancer and eye damage.
• not the same strength all year round. They are prevalent during the summer months. However for swimmers and skiers please note that UVB can reflect from snow and water so it is important to protect yourself all year round.
• responsible for sunburn and skin cancer

A full spectrum sunblock will protect your skin from both UVA and UVB rays.

What is SPF?

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. It is a measurement of the number of times the skin reddens under UVB radiation with the presence of sunscreen on the skin compared to no sunscreen.

For example if you were to apply sunscreen with SPF 15,  it takes 15 times longer for the skin to redden than if you have no sunscreen on your skin.

So you may want to know what the differences are between the following SPF's 15, 30 and 50.

SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays
SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays
SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB rays

These seem like small differences, however for those who are light sensitive or have a history of skin cancer, those extra percentages will make a difference.

Physical or chemical sun protection?

Physical sunscreen products generally contains zinc and titanium dioxide. It sits on top of the skin and is not absorbed. Therefore it provides a protective layer to reflect UV rays.  Physical sunblocks are especially good for those who have sensitive skin as they rarely cause skin irritation. This type of sun protection can be found in different forms, ranging from traditional sunblock cream to mineral make-up.

Chemical sunscreen products absorb UV rays before they penetrate the deeper layers of the skin. The benefit of a chemical sunscreen is that they are not easily removed when doing outdoor exercise/workouts, since sweat can potentially remove non chemical based products when wiped away.

How often should we apply sunscreen?

All sunscreens should be applied 15-20 minutes before sun exposure to allow a protective film to develop, then reapplied after water contact or sweating. Some sunscreens can lose effectiveness after two hours, so reapply frequently.

Which sunscreen is suitable for you?

As sunscreen technology has advanced, now there is a sunscreen for everyone.  From oily to sensitve skin. Today you have many different options to choose from and we stock a range of products that are suitable for your individual needs.

Physical sunscreens with moisturisers:

• Aspect Sun Physical Sun Protection SPF 50+
• Aspect Hydra Shield
• Cosmedix Hydrate+
• Medik8 Physical Sunscreen SPF50
• Societe Covershield SPF15 
• Societe Prime and Defend
• Synergie Uberzinc

Physical sunscreen in Mineral make-up (best for oily to normal skin):
For Oily to Normal Skin

• Synergie Minerals BB Flawless
• Synergie Minerals Second Skin Crush
• Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Brush-On Shield SPF30

For Normal to Dry Skin

• Synergie Mineralwhip (Good coverage)
• Colorescience Tint Du Soleil SPF 20 (Light coverage)

For Pigmentation

• Synergie Minerals BB Flawless
• Colorescience Even Up Primer SPF 20
  

Physical Sunscreen for the body:

• Synergie Uberzinc Body (with added Vitamin D)

Chemical sunscreen:

• Aspect Sun Envirostat On the Go SPF 50
• Aspect Sun CC Cream SPF 50
• Aspect Sun Envirostat Face SPF 50
• Aspect Sun Hydrating Face SPF 50
• Medik8 Advanced Day Total Protect 50ml
• Medik8 Daily Radiance Vitamin C 50ml

Protecting our lips

Lips have no melanin, which makes them more susceptible to sun damage caused by UV exposure. Signs of sun damage on the lips develop in time with excessive sun exposure over the years. The sun's UV rays can impact the production of collagen on your lips which can result in the formation of wrinkles on and around the area as a sign of early aging and sun damage.

Colorescience has developed Sunforgettable Lip Shine SPF30 which the perfect way to protect your lips from UV.

Summary

Without sun protection our skin is at threat of skin cancer, acceleration of the ageing process, pigmentation and inflammation.

With such a large choice of sunprotection products on the market there is no excuse for not wearing it.

It only takes a few minutes to apply and these few minutes each day could protect your skin and save your life.