Clarins sun care time!

 So, what do you need to know? To begin with, here are quick key tips that address both issues of health and beauty and get you on your way to smart sun care. Every walker/runner or just anyone going outdoors for long periods should wear sunscreen every time they do, not just at the beach! Welcome evidence suggests that more people are becoming aware about the dangers of UVA and UVB rays, but there are still too many ignoring the advice and taking unnecessary risks by underestimating the potential harm.
– Apply sunscreen daily: Use a sunscreen with a sun protector factor (SPF) at least 15. Apply 20 to 30 minutes before going outside. Give maximum protection to the parts of your body that get the most exposure, face, hands, forearms, shoulders, ears, back of neck, and top of head. Use a lip balm with a sunscreen for your lips, which can blister if unprotected. Use a “broad spectrum” sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 15 to protect against harmful UVA and UVB rays.
– Reapply often: When outdoors for long periods of time, or after towelling off, excessive perspiration, prolonged swimming or vigorous activity, remember to reapply often. Put enough on. The recommended application for adequate protection is 35 to 40ml per person per session (a handful). “So someone may think they are applying SPF15, say, but if they don’t use the correct amount then it may only be equivalent to SPF8,” says Richardson.
– Wear a sunscreen everyday, all-year round: Even on cloudy or overcast days, since 80 percent of the sun’s rays can penetrate light clouds, mist and fog. Also, incidental exposure, the kind received unintentionally such as while gardening or walking the dog, accounts for 80 percent of lifetime exposure. Apply correctly. Sunscreen should be applied to clean, dry skin 30 minutes before exposure to the sun which allows it time to absorb properly. Everyday use of sun lotions on your face and back of the hands will limit the chances of developing dry leathery skin, wrinkles, mottling and other signs of premature aging and skin cancer.
– Know the sun protection factor (SPF): Appropriate for your skin type and intended time in the sun. The SPF number indicates how many times longer a person can stay in the sun before beginning to burn. SPF numbers usually range from two to 50.
– Wear a hat and protective clothing: Hats with wide brims provide additional sun protection as do tightly woven, dark coloured suits and pants that keep the sun out. Cover up in the sun with loose cotton clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with UV protection.
– Don’t forget the sunglasses: Whenever outdoors, wear sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays.
– Seek the shade and avoid the midday sun: If your shadow is shorter than you are, you’re more likely to sunburn. Plan outdoor activities before 10 am of after 4 pm, when the sun’s rays are less intense. Take time out in the shade between 11 am and 3 pm when the sun is strongest, but still apply sun screen because sand, concrete and water can reflect harmful rays.
– Protect children: Minimise sun exposure and apply sunscreen to children six months and older. Keep children younger than six months old out of direct sunlight. Children and babies need greater protection so use specially formulated kids ranges with gentler ingredients and higher SPFs.
– Be particularly careful in high altitudes and tropical climates: Radiation is more intense in these areas. Remember to wear high SPF and to reapply often. Overcast weather still requires sunscreen in summer because 80 percent of ultra-violet radiation is still present on cloudy days.
– Be careful near highly reflective surfaces such as sand, concrete, water or snow: Apply a sunscreen even when you’re underneath a beach umbrella; the rays can reflect off the sand and reach you.
– If you are taking medication check with your physician or pharmacist: Before going in the sun. Some medicines can make your skin sensitive to the sun.
– Moisturise skin after sun exposure: Look for sun products that contain moisturisers, such as vitamin E and aloe to replenish the lost moisture after sun exposure.
– Learn the signs of skin cancer:
A skin growth that increases in size.
A mole, birthmark, or beauty mark that changes colour, increases in size or thickness, changes in texture or irregular in outline.
A spot or growth that continues to itch, hurt, crust scab, erode, or bleed.
 Open sore or wound on the skin that does not heal or persists for more than four weeks, or one that heals and then reopens.
If you have any of these signs, please consult your physician immediately. When skin is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, both UVA and UVB rays stimulate melanin production which results in the “tan” we see. What we don’t see is the increased activity of free radicals which breakdown the internal building blocks of the skin and the deeper down demise of collagen, the connective tissue of our skin responsible for maintaining support and elasticity.
Doubling your sun protection factor, does not necessarily double your protection from the sun.
With regards to SPF number, 15 provides about a 94  percent shield from the sun’s UVB rays. To double the SPF doesn’t double your protection. Infact, an SPF of 30 only increases your shield to approximately 97 percent. From there, higher SPFs provide only tiny percentile increases in protection, but you do start to build on the number of ingredients which can possibly irritate your skin.  It is estimated that by the time we reach about 18 years of age we will have received 80 percent of our lifetime’s sun exposure. Research is showing us that if we wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 regularly prior to the age of 18, the risk of “certain skin cancers” will be reduced by 78 percent.
Sun care tip:  The only “safe” tan is a fake tan.
Since the change in skin colour we call a tan, is actually a reflection of sun damage, there really is no safely acquired tan…unless you use sunless tanning lotions.  There are some fantastic formulations that effectively produce the look of a real tan.
 Here’s to a beautiful 2010 glow but not with the negative effects of the sun!
– For all your queries and alternative tips you may have or just to be added onto our database — missk@zol.co.zw.