Sun Protection is Vital

This blog post aims to provide awareness of the importance of sun protection and highlight which sun protection products are suitable for your skin type.

"Slip Slop Slap" is a saying many Australians grew up with. In the 80s, the Cancer Council launched a very important campaign encouraging people to protect their skin 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 they should only protect their skin when they go to the beach or are on holiday in the sun. Some think wearing sun protection every day is not a priority. It should be!

Additionally, many feel that sun protection is not necessary 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.  

4 Key Benefits of Full Spectrum Sunscreens

1. Reduce the risk of skin cancer
Sunscreens are 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. 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. It can cause pigmentation. A sunscreen will help prevent melanin activation by protecting the skin.

4. Prevent skin disruptions
As UV can play havoc with our skin, and acne and oxidised stress can be exacerbated. Wearing sunscreens with Zinc Oxide will not only protect the skin but reduce inflammation, too.

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

Demystifying UVA and UVB Rays: Your Guide to Sun Safety

Ultraviolet radiation(UV) is a form of energy emanating from the sun. The two main types of UV rays that penetrate down to the earth's 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 can penetrate deeper into the skin's surface.
• 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, sunburn, skin cancer and eye damage.
• different strength all year round. UVB is prevalent during the summer months. However, for swimmers and skiers, please note that UVB can reflect from snow and water, so protecting yourself all year round is important.

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

SPF Guide: Your Ultimate Reference

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. It measures 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 would take 15 times longer for the skin to redden than if you had no sunscreen on your skin.

Surprisingly, here are the differences between the following SPF: 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 contain 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 sensitive skin as they rarely cause skin irritation. Physical sunscreen ranges from traditional sunblock cream and tinted sunscreen to mineral makeup. Physical sunscreens are perfect for general everyday use.

Chemical sunscreen products absorb UV rays before they penetrate the deeper layers of the skin. The benefit of chemical sunscreen is that they are sweatproof and generally water resistant, ideal for outdoor exercise/workouts and swimming.

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, there is sunscreen for everyone, from oily to sensitive skin. Today, you have many different options, and we stock a range of products suitable for your individual needs.

Physical sunscreens with moisturisers:

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

Tinted Physical Sunscreens

• O Cosmedics Mineral Pro SPF30+ Tinted
• O Cosmedics Mineral Pro SPF50 Tinted
• Aspect Sun Tinted Physical Sun Protection SPF50+

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

• Aspect Minerals Powder Foundation
• Synergie Minerals Second Skin Crush
• Youngblood Loose Mineral Foundation

For Normal to Dry Skin

• Synergie Minerals Mineralwhip (Good coverage)
• Synergie Minerals EnviroVeil (Medium Coverage)
• Youngblood Liquid Mineral Foundation

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 Hydrating Face SPF 50
• Medik8 Advanced Day Total Protect 50ml
• Medik8 Advanced Day Ultimate Protect 50ml
• Medik8 Daily Radiance Vitamin C 50ml

Best sun protection for the eye area:

• Medik8 Advanced Day Eye Protect
• Synergie Minerals Liquidew Mineral Concealer 

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. Ensure you use a lip product during the day containing SPF protection.

Summary

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

With such a wide choice of sun protection products on the market, there is no excuse for not wearing them.

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