7 Ways to Protect Your Skin From the Sun
Between the heat and the humidity, it can be pretty difficult for your skin to stay healthy during the summer. If you don’t take special precautions to care for it, your skin could wind up suffering painful and permanent damage.
Thankfully, learning how to take care of your skin during summer is easy. All it takes is a few extra steps added to your daily routine and your skin can remain happy and healthy.
1. Always, always, always use sunscreen.
Unfortunately, there are some people who believe that, because they don’t “burning easily,” they don’t need to wear sunscreen. This misnomer is, no doubt, one of the reasons that skin cancer diagnoses have been steadily rising year after year. While sunscreen can’t prevent skin cancer, it can dramatically reduce the risk of developing melanoma and other skin cancers.
Aside from cancer, sun exposure can cause wrinkles and age your skin dramatically. All the more reason to use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 whenever you’re outside. And, if you want to undo years of sun damage and aging, you can always schedule a SkinPen treatment with the skincare professionals at Wilmington Plastic Surgery & Skin Care MedSpa.
2. Wash your face at least once a day.
In fact, it’s ideal to wash your face in the morning and before bed. Doing so is one of the best ways to wash off excess oil, dirt, and dead skin that has built up on your face throughout the day/night.
It’s also important to make sure you wash your makeup off each night before going to bed. Cleansers with salicylic acid do an exceptional job at removing all the stuff that can gunk up your skin and clog your pores. Wilmington Plastic Surgery & Skin Care MedSpa also sells a variety of skincare products to help you improve your routine.
3. Add extra antioxidants and vitamins to your diet.
Antioxidants can be found in many fruits and vegetables, as can plenty of the vitamins your skin needs to be healthy, like Vitamins A, C, and E. Some examples of antioxidant and vitamin-rich foods include:
Unfortunately, there are some people who believe that, because they don’t “burning easily,” they don’t need to wear sunscreen. This misnomer is, no doubt, one of the reasons that skin cancer diagnoses have been steadily rising year after year. While sunscreen can’t prevent skin cancer, it can dramatically reduce the risk of developing melanoma and other skin cancers.
Aside from cancer, sun exposure can cause wrinkles and age your skin dramatically. All the more reason to use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 whenever you’re outside. And, if you want to undo years of sun damage and aging, you can always schedule a SkinPen treatment with the skincare professionals at Wilmington Plastic Surgery & Skin Care MedSpa.
2. Wash your face at least once a day.
In fact, it’s ideal to wash your face in the morning and before bed. Doing so is one of the best ways to wash off excess oil, dirt, and dead skin that has built up on your face throughout the day/night.
It’s also important to make sure you wash your makeup off each night before going to bed. Cleansers with salicylic acid do an exceptional job at removing all the stuff that can gunk up your skin and clog your pores. Wilmington Plastic Surgery & Skin Care MedSpa also sells a variety of skincare products to help you improve your routine.
3. Add extra antioxidants and vitamins to your diet.
Antioxidants can be found in many fruits and vegetables, as can plenty of the vitamins your skin needs to be healthy, like Vitamins A, C, and E. Some examples of antioxidant and vitamin-rich foods include:
- Watermelon
- Berries (especially blueberries)
- Avocado
- Tomatoes
- Kale
- Green Tea
- Broccoli
- Sweet Potatoes
- Olive Oil
- Wild Salmon
4. Avoid the hottest part of the day.
The sun is strongest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day. If you’re outside, this is when you’ll receive the highest UV exposure and also when you run the greatest risk of sunburn, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke.
It’s best to limit sun exposure during these hours in favor of enjoying the outdoors early in the morning or later in the evening. If you do go for that long beach day though, go for a high SPF sunscreen and be sure to reapply at least every two hours. Oh, and don’t forget to drink plenty of water!
5. Hats and lip balm and sunglasses, oh my!
These things may seem trivial, but each of them can go a long way toward protecting your face and head from sun damage.
Hats can provide a little bit of shade for your facial skin and eyes. Plus, they can prevent your scalp from burning. A lip balm that includes SPF protection is the best way to protect tender lip skin. Finally, sunglasses can protect the skin around your face, cut down on glare, and protect your eyes from irreversible damage.
6. Stay in the shade.
You can easily cut down on UV exposure simply by making use of a canopy or umbrella while outside in the summer. Even the shade of a large tree can help!
Remember though, cloud cover is not the same as shade. UV rays pierce right through clouds so, even if you’re not in direct sunlight, you can still suffer skin damage on a cloudy day.
7. Moisturize frequently.
It seems contradictory that higher humidity could result in drier skin, but it’s true. When your skin doesn’t have enough water, it begins to produce more sebum. While you need sebum to protect your skin from the elements, too much of it can be a bad thing.
You can easily avoid this by using a water-based moisturizer a few times a day to keep your skin hydrated and prevent irritation.
The sun is strongest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day. If you’re outside, this is when you’ll receive the highest UV exposure and also when you run the greatest risk of sunburn, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke.
It’s best to limit sun exposure during these hours in favor of enjoying the outdoors early in the morning or later in the evening. If you do go for that long beach day though, go for a high SPF sunscreen and be sure to reapply at least every two hours. Oh, and don’t forget to drink plenty of water!
5. Hats and lip balm and sunglasses, oh my!These things may seem trivial, but each of them can go a long way toward protecting your face and head from sun damage.
Hats can provide a little bit of shade for your facial skin and eyes. Plus, they can prevent your scalp from burning. A lip balm that includes SPF protection is the best way to protect tender lip skin. Finally, sunglasses can protect the skin around your face, cut down on glare, and protect your eyes from irreversible damage.
6. Stay in the shade.
You can easily cut down on UV exposure simply by making use of a canopy or umbrella while outside in the summer. Even the shade of a large tree can help!
Remember though, cloud cover is not the same as shade. UV rays pierce right through clouds so, even if you’re not in direct sunlight, you can still suffer skin damage on a cloudy day.
7. Moisturize frequently.
It seems contradictory that higher humidity could result in drier skin, but it’s true. When your skin doesn’t have enough water, it begins to produce more sebum. While you need sebum to protect your skin from the elements, too much of it can be a bad thing.
You can easily avoid this by using a water-based moisturizer a few times a day to keep your skin hydrated and prevent irritation.
If you do stay outside too long, make sure you know how to properly care for sunburn. Take ibuprofen for pain/swelling, apply aloe vera to the affected area, and leave any blisters alone. You should also drink plenty of water and use a cool, damp towel to relieve some discomfort.
You can also combat prolonged sun exposure by getting frequent facials. Facials are an excellent way to remove toxins and pollutants from your skin, plus they feel amazing! And it’s not just facials, we have a variety of facial spa treatments, from chemical peels to injectables, to help you achieve a look you’ll love.
So if you’re ready to take care of your skin while enjoying a little “me time,” click here to schedule an appointment at Wilmington Plastic Surgery & Skin Care MedSpa.