Summer Sun: Friend or Foe? Three Steps to Year-Round Sun Protection

In summer, everyone looks forward to outdoor activities. But as the weather warms up, ask yourself if you are willing to take a risk with your skin. Although sunshine fosters the formation of vitamin D, no one is safe from its damaging ultraviolet rays. The good times also bring the problems that come with excessive exposure to sun, including premature aging, blemishes, skin cancer, and permanent damage to the eyes. If you plan to have fun in the sun, make sure you use the right protection! Here are three steps that will give you maximum protection from the hottest kiss of the sun.

First Step- Do your skin a favor
UVB rays impact the surface of the skin and are primarily responsible for sunburn and damage to the eyes. UVA rays are the most potent rays that reach the earth. They penetrate more deeply into the skin and may also be responsible for causing skin cancer, wrinkles, and spots. Both UV rays, however, are beauty’s worst enemy.

1. Choose proper sunscreen products

Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is an indicator of how well a lotion protects against UVB rays. A sunscreen of SPF 15 blocks approximately 93.3% of UVB rays, while SPF 30 blocks approximately 96.67% of UVB. No sunscreen can provide 100% protection, so do not be fool by high SPF ratings.

Generally, exposed skin should be protected by a sunscreen of at least SPF 15, and preferably SPF30. Use of sunscreens with a higher SPF rating than 30 probably fail to provide greater protection, but they also most likely contain an increased amount of active chemicals which may irritate the skin.

The protection grade (PA) refers to the protection against UVA rays. The more “+”, the longer the sunscreen will protect you against sunburn before you must reapply it. To protect your skin from overexposure to ultraviolet radiation, doctors recommend protection creams with SPF of 15 to 30 and a higher PA.

2. Use them properly

The sun does not need to feel hot to damage your skin, and UV rays readily penetrate cloud cover, which makes you vulnerable even on cool days. Dermatologists recommend daily use of a sunscreen with SPF 15-30 on all exposed areas, whether the day is sunny or cloudy.

Don’t forget to use enough: one ounce (the amount in a shot glass) should be used to cover exposed skin in summer. Because sunscreens must react with the surface of the skin to be effective, they should be applied 15 to 30 minutes before going out, and they need to be reapplied every two hours. Remember that the purpose of using sunscreens is to reduce UV ray exposure, not to extend the time spent outside in the sun.

3. Don’t let neck and hands disclose your true age

Most people spend thousands of dollars every year fighting the signs of aging on their face, literally ignoring the neck and hand areas, which will ultimately reveal their true age. Be sure to apply sunscreen liberally and evenly to often-missed spots, such as the neck and hands, or cover up with a long-sleeved shirt.

Nefful’s negative ions gloves is one of choices which will help protect the hands from sun damage. With its superior water permeability it also keeps our hands dry and comfortable.

4. Keep your hair healthy in the sun

Some of us fail in the basics of hair care, ending up with dull, dry, and frizzy locks. Your hair also needs to be protected from UV rays in order to keep it healthy and beautiful. UV rays can oxidize sulfur molecules in the hair and make the strands faded and brittle.

After you rinse your hair, do not let it air-dry in the sun. Wet hair serves as an easy entry point for frizz-causing UV rays. Apply a leave-on conditioner or hair spray product containing sunscreen to serve as a protective barrier against UV rays. Most importantly, wear a wide-brimmed hat or use UV umbrellas whenever possible to protect your hair from direct exposure to the sun.

Second Step- Protect your eyes from sun damage
Unprotected exposure to UV rays can increase the risk of developing cataracts and damaging the retina, which can lead to total blindness. UV damage is cumulative, so the longer your eyes are exposed to UV radiation, the greater the risk of developing conditions such as macular degeneration later in life. It is never too late to begin protecting your eyes from the sun’s harmful rays. There are three ways to protect your eyes from the sun.

1. Choose quality sunglasses

Sunglasses with a perfect protection factor against UV rays, as well as blue light, should be as indispensable for your eyes as sunscreen is for the skin. The label on the glasses should note a minimum of 90% protection from UVA and 95% from UVB rays. Do not determine the effectiveness of UV protection by a designer label or the price of the sunglasses. Check the protection percentages carefully because wearing sunglasses that do not protect you properly can be even more harmful to your eyes than not wearing glasses at all.

Darker shades, such as brown, gray, and green lenses are recommended because these are natural colors, which means they cut down on overall brightness without distorting the colors of what you see. Yellow, blue, and pink lenses provide less overall brightness protection and are not generally recommended for sunglasses.
If you want the best sun protection for your eyes, opt for protective polycarbonate polarized lenses. Polycarbonate polarized lenses provide the ultimate protection for your eyes without causing optical distortion.

2. Wear UV contact lenses

Contact lenses with UV protection hit themarket not too long ago, which may sound like good news for people who do not like to wear sunglasses. However, despite what people might think, contacts do not provide enough protection against UV rays to substitute for sunglasses. The best strategy for contact wearers may be to combine them with non-prescription sunglasses.

3. Cover up with shade

UV hats and umbrellas are perfect choices for outdoor activities and sun protection. Opt for a hat with a 3-4-inch broad brim that extends all the way around.

Third Step- Consume sun protection fruit
Summer fruits are a delicious source of good nutrition, and their benefits can actually give you healthier skin and protect your skin against sun damage.

1. High in vitamin C

Vitamin C plays a potent role in diminishing the effects of free radical damage and can be quite effective as a protectant from UV ray damage. The advantage of vitamin C over a sunscreen is that vitamin C can be absorbed into the cells and give your skin longer protection. Grapefruit, guava, yellow kiwifruit, strawberry and orange are all fruits that are very rich in vitamin C.

2. Rich in antioxidants

Tomatoes, watermelon, guava and pink grapefruit are all rich in lycopene, which is an especially potent antioxidant. Lycopene is able to neutralize biologically damaging free radicals, helping prevent the skin from being damaged by UV rays.

3. Intake of vitamin E

Vitamin E is also effective against short-term sunburn and long-term skin damage. It acts as a free radical scavenger and can help protect you when you are exposed to UV rays. Vegetable oils, nuts, and green leafy vegetables are the main dietary sources of vitamin E.

4. Drink two cups of tea daily

Green tea contains high antioxidant compounds of polyphenols that are effective antioxidants. It has been shown that green tea provides exceptional neutralization of free radical production, protecting the skin from the aging effects of daily UV exposure.

To avoid sunburn or excessive tanning, cover your skin, wear sunglasses, stay out of direct sunlight, and consume protective foods. Taking care of your skin, hair, and eyes should be a top priority for everyone, no matter the time of the year, but especially during the hot summer. Do not forget to put UV protection on your must-have list!