It’s Summertime: Take Care of Your Skin

Summer is here, which means more time spent outdoors. It also means extra diligence around protecting your skin from the sun.

Read on to learn more about what makes your skin susceptible to sun damage; and more importantly, what you can do to protect your skin from the sun.

Your Skin’s Structure

To understand how sun damage can occur, first let’s look at your skin’s structure. Your skin is made up of three separate layers:

1. Epidermis
   This is the outer layer of your skin, and it functions like a barrier between the inside of your body and your environment.
2. Dermis
   The dermis is found right below the epidermis, and is made of connective tissue, nerves, blood vessels, and hair.
3. Hypodermis
   The hypodermis is the deepest layer of your skin. It attaches to your muscles, and it contains fat cells, connective tissue, nerves, and blood vessels.

What Causes Skin Damage

Your skin is on the frontlines as you interact with the world around you. Some threats to your skin are easy to identify, like sharp objects.

But two of the greatest dangers to your skin, UVA and UVB rays from the sun, are invisible. Here’s why UVA and UVB rays are so unhealthy for your skin:

• UVA radiation:
  UVA rays can reach as deep as the dermis layer of your skin, and they can negatively impact the health of connective tissue. The result over time can be wrinkles, age spots, and even skin cancer.
• UVB radiation:
  Unlike UVA rays, UVB rays for the most part only penetrate the epidermis. They are primarily the cause of sunburn, but extended exposure to UVB rays can weaken your immune system and increase skin cancer risk.

How to Protect Your Skin

There are several ways you can protect your skin from the effects of the sun. These include:

• Protective Clothing
  Whenever possible, keep your arms, legs, and torso covered. The best sun-protective clothing is tightly woven and has a high UVP (ultraviolet protection factor). Also, wear a broad-brimmed hat to protect your face, and sunglasses that are rated for UVA and UVB protection.
• Sunscreen
  Apply sunscreen to any exposed skin that has an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 30. Re-apply every 2 hours, and more frequently if you’re swimming or sweating. Don’t forget to protect your lips with an SPF 30 or higher lip balm.
• Avoid Direct Sunlight
  Whenever possible stay out of the sun between the hours of 10am and 4pm. In general, try to limit your exposure to times of the day when the sun’s rays are less intense.
• Don’t Use Tanning Beds
  The “healthy glow” associated with tanned skin is really just skin damage. There’s nothing truly healthy about it. And tanning beds are worse than the sun itself because they emit more UV rays than natural sunlight.

Protecting your skin is one of the most important things you can do for your overall health. By following these simple steps, you can enjoy years of good skin health.

Want to learn more? Call Renew Youth at 800-859-7511 or use our contact form to set up your free 30-minute consultation.

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