Sun Protection Skincare - 10 Tips For Gorgeous Skin

What is the MOST important skin care secret you need to know for youthful skin? If you said "Protecting from the harmful rays of the sun!", you get a gold star.

Sunlight is a major cause of skin aging, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH). We all know a sunburn is obvious skin damage. But, did you know that short, repeated exposure to the sun (also called chronic sun exposure) is a major cause of skin damage too.


With your beauty in mind here are some simple but effective suggestions:


Sun Precaution #1 - As a daily routine, apply sunscreen and wear a sun hat. On a big beach day or playing 3 hours of golf. I am sure you are slathered up with sunscreen and wearing your sun protective clothing. What we are talking about here is protecting against the chronic doses of sun you get from doing things like stopping to pick flowers, walking from your car to the office or driving. Remember sun damage accumulates over time and lessens the elasticity of your skin.

Vitamin D - It is impossible to write about sun protection without talking about Vitamin D. Vitamin D is very important to your good health but the amount of sun exposure is unclear at this time. If you are not an outdoor person, your only exposure to UVB rays (UVB generates Vitamin D, not UVA) may be short stints under the mid-day sun. Be sure to consult with your physician about the proper amount of sun for your body. According to the EPA: Get vitamin D safely through a diet that includes vitamin supplements and foods fortified with Vitamin D. Don't seek the sun.


Sun Precaution #2 - Not every sun hat is equal. Choose a sun hat with a brim of 4" or greater that also has a brim that slants downward. A downward angled brim will surround you face giving you protection for more hours of the day. And, do not even think of wearing a baseball cap. A baseball cap basically shades the forehead and that's all!


Sun Precaution #3 -Don't be fooled into thinking a base tan protects you from additional sun damage. According to the FDA, there is no such thing as a safe tan. A tan is your melanin pigment migrating to the basal layer of your skin to protect your DNA.

Sun Precaution #4 - Keep protected from the sun all year round. Both UVA and UVB contribute to premature aging. In the winter months UVB lessens but the harmful UVA rays are in full force year round.


Sun Precaution #5 - Beware of sneaky reflective rays. UV rays can reflect off of cars, the asphalt, water and other surfaces that "bounce" up and reach your face and neck. Wearing your daily dose of sunscreen will help with these harmful sneak attacks. If you are going to be on the snow or water all day or doing road work, you may want to consider wearing a UV protective Sun Mask.

Sun Precaution #6 - Make sunscreen the first layer of your makeup regimen. Dr. Martin, a prominent San Diego dermatologist, recommends using sunscreen, both zinc/titanium (also called mineral sunscreen) and chemical based sunscreen as the first layer of your makeup regimen. Next apply moisturizer, foundation, powder, blush and any other colored cosmetics. Some experts feel a sunscreen using zinc or titanium should be applied after all makeup has been applied since that formula reflects the sun rays. Dr. Martin believes the makeup layers over the zinc/titanium sunscreen only enhance the UV protection. Additionally, many high SPF mineral sunscreens also include chemical ingredients in their formulas to reach those high SPF ratings. You may want to consider a facial moisturizer with SPF... also a good time saver. (Note: If you are using medication, please consult your doctor to know when to apply)
Sun Precaution #7 - Don't forget to apply sunscreen to the back of your neck if your neck is exposed to the sun. Sun-weakened skin becomes lax and the condition of the skin on the back of your neck will affects the more visible front of the neck.

Sun Precaution #8 - Avoid tanning booths. No matter what they say, sitting under a device that emits UV light is going to have a harmful affect on your skin. Dr. Martin says that he has seen patients in their 20's that have the skin of a 50 year because of tanning booths. So pleeeeease don't do it.
Sun Precaution #9 - Be extra careful when you are in higher altitudes. You would be amazed how fast you get sun damage when there is less atmosphere to filter out harmful UV rays.
Sun Precaution #10 - Regular dermatology and self examinations are important. - Many skin cancers, all though not life threatening, can be very disfiguring if they need to be surgically removed. Catch the culprits before they become a problem.

Don't grow old before your time? Make being sun safe a way of life and enjoy your outdoor life looking good.






www.sungrubbies.com
Source: http://EzineArticles.com Gail_Madson

How to Avoid a Sunburn - Using Sun Screen to Protect Your Skin

Sunscreen Application

Did you know that 1 oz. of sunscreen is the approximate amount of sun block that needs to be applied to your body? (Measurement on AVG) Using higher doses of SPF sun screen can be the ultimate protection for sensitive skin areas like the Nose, Feet, Ears (especially the top and lobes of the ears) and shoulders. Thighs have been known to get tender from the sun so apply as needed. What about the lips? Well sun-block wasn't designed for the lips so SPF lip balm should be applied to avoid cracked or sunburned lips.

The best time to apply sunscreen is a half hour before you are exposed to the sun. This gives ample time for your skin to absorb the sun block. UV rays can even penetrate the clouds and cause skin problems so it's recommended to apply sun block even when it's cloudy.

Breakdown of skin types

Obviously every person is unique and their skin type varies person to person so here's the skinny....

Fair skin is quite sensitive to the sun and can burn easy. Folks with fair skin often burn and should use a sun block of SPF 30 and up. People that have darker skin tones are not likely to burn as much as folks with fair skin. This doesn't mean they are at risk for skin cancer. Long exposure can still lead to nasty skin wrinkles and cancer. I guess it really doesn't matter what your skin type is. The fact of the matter is sunscreen with minimum of 15 SPF is recommended to be worn year round. EVERYONE can be at risk to burns and cancer if long exposure to UV rays goes untreated.

Severe sunburns are BRIGHT red skin, bubbling blisters, fever, chills & nausea. Severe burns can often lead to Heat Exhaust or Heat Stroke. (2nd / 3rd Degree Burn)

Moderate burns can be described as red skin, itching & stinging (2nd Degree Burn)

Mild sun burns are pinkish skin color and later peel off. It should not go un-noticed that mild burns can still lead to cancer. Do not under estimate the power of the sun's UV.....
So you have a Burn

Did you get fried from the suns' UV rays? Now what? A common method from sun burns is to take a cool bath. There are even theories of oatmeal or cornstarch added to cool water help. Be sure you don't scrub your skin; just use a soft towel to pat your body dry.

If your burn is severe and you feel extremely uncomfortable then you need to get your butt to the doc... When it's all said and done nobody gets hurt until the doc saves your life. So don't be stubborn you may have heat exhaust or stroke so act quick.




www.poundinghearts.com
Source: http://EzineArticles.com Nathan_E_Peterson

How to Apply Sunblock

Sunblock on? Check.

UVA/UVB protection? Check.

SPF 45,000? Check.

Ready to hit the beach!

Err, not quite. Wearing sunblock (also called sunscreen) is like taking a multivitamin: people use it, think they're safe, and don't realize that it's possibly doing them no good whatsoever.

A bottle of sunblock is your greatest weapon against wrinkles... IF you use it correctly. Let's give a primer on sunblock how to apply sunblock, shall we.

1. Wash your face. Thoroughly. Excessive face-washing is counter-productive, so don't overdo it. Simply run some warm (not hot) water, lather up some moisturizing facial cleanser (not soap) with your two middle fingers, and rinse. Pat yourself dry, but not too dry. Warm, moist skin absorbs best.

2. Do nothing. Let us make this very clear. For your sunblock to work, it has to be the FIRST thing you apply. If there is a layer of anything (makeup, moisturizer, toner, etc) between your skin and the sunblock, it won't work.

3. Apply sunblock liberally. You've heard before that using too much of something it a bad thing, but this isn't one of those times. Don't skimp on sunblock. It's amazing to me how people will try to save money by using less sunblock, and then spend $100 on an anti-wrinkle cream that does nothing for them. It's the SUNBLOCK where you should spend most of your money, since that is the best way to prevent wrinkles.

4. Do nothing (again). Your sunblock requires at least 10 minutes to absorb into your skin and dry up. It also takes about that long (maybe longer) to work, so don't go in the sun right away. Don't add anything to your face, whether it's water, moisturizer, or makeup, for 10 to 15 minutes. If you do, the sunblock won't work. Use this time to do something else, like your hair, or get dressed.

5. Repeat. If you're going to spend time in the sun, repeat this process every two hours. If it's just a day at the office, once will do, unless you plan on eating lunch outside.

6. Weather doesn't count. You need to wear sunblock every single day, no matter what the weather is like. UV rays shine right through the clouds, and you can still get sunburn in the rain or snow. Make it a morning ritual to apply sunblock first thing out of the shower.

7. Don't neglect your body parts. It would look strange if you were 80 and had very few wrinkles... except on your ears. When applying sunblock, don't forget your ears, hands, backs of your hands, other exposed body parts, and your lips. Of course, for your lips, don't use sunblock. Instead, use a lip balm with SPF 15. And let it sink in before applying that lipstick.

All these steps can be a pain in the rear, but your skin will thank you and reward you with fewer wrinkles. Make it part of your routine to do this, get creative, and you'll get used to it. The alternative (facelifts at 35) is far, far more of a pain than this.




Golden rules of sunblock.

-Use SPF 15. Any less will do nothing, and any more will add nothing.

-Block UVA and UVB. UVA ages you, UVB burns you. Most products only block UVB, which means you'll wrinkle like a raisin.

-Go bare. Apply sunblock on clean, warm skin. Make it the first product you use.

-Wait. Allow 10 minutes for it to absorb before applying anything else or going outside.

-Do it again. If spending time in the sun, re-apply sunblock every 2 hours.

-Don't go in the water. If you must, then use a real water-proof brand and re-apply when you're dry. Ditto for sweating.

-No sun? Who cares. Wear sunblock every day, no matter the weather.





www.YourAgelessFace.com
Source: http://EzineArticles.com Sofia_Moussier

7 Tips to Keep Your Skin Looking Great

1. Healthy Food: Keep your beauty skin fresh and glowing by eating antioxidant-rich foods. Choose foods that are bright in color, such as broccoli, carrots, blueberries and tomatoes. When you eat healthy and exercise regularly you are much more likely to have great beauty skin.

2. Sunburn Treatment: First to avoid the chance of sunburn always use a sun block that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. If you are unfortunate and get sunburn, take a bath in lukewarm water using a moisturizing bath product such as Aveeno. Follow with a moisturizer for your beauty skin.

3. Help for Rough Hands: Use Mary Kay, Satin Hands. It has an exfoliant and a moisturizer that leaves hands feeling ever so soft. Or, apply an extra emollient cream at night and then slip on a pair of cotton gloves and you’ll wake up with hands that feel much softer.

4. Eliminate Bumpy skin: If your beauty skin feels rough (has little bumps) use a body scrub once a week and you will feel a difference.

5. Get rid of Back Pimples: If you get pimples on your back try a body wash that is make for acne (such as Clearasil) and watch your acne disappear.

6. No More Pillow Marks: To avoid waking up with creases on your face use a satin pillowcase. A satin pillowcase is also a great trick to keep your hair in place.

7. Beauty Skin that feels fresh: If you have a problem keeping the shine off your face during the summer and your face feels greasy by noon, change your cleanser and/or moisturizer to oil controlling.


www.sheilasfashionsense.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com Sheila_Dicks