subject: Protecting Your Skin With Sunscreen [print this page] It's important to understand how extended exposure to the sun can affect your skin. This is especially relevant when the weather is hot and everyone wants to catch as much fun as possible in the outdoors. People's resistance to sun exposure varies according to a number of factors, but this is one area where you don't really want to take a whole lot of risks, because it could put your life in danger.
Being out under the sun can give you a nice tan, but the sun's rays also contain ultra-violet radiation that can seriously damage your skin and even lead to skin cancer. It doesn't matter what your age is, you need to protect yourself, although ultra-violet radiation is even more harmful for the young skins of babies and children below ten years of age.
To effectively protect your screen, you need quality sunscreen. And before I go any further, I want to point out that I've seen men refuse to put on sunscreen under the pretense that they don't need it. Apparently putting some lotion to protect your skin against potential cancer takes away from your virility! Men need the protection just as much as women do!
Buying the right brand of sun protecting cream or lotion is crucial. You're looking for something that is designed for your skin type and offers a minimum SPF of 15 to 30. The way SPF works is like this: If you are normally okay in the sun for ten minutes without sunscreen, you can use an SPF 10 that would protect you for 100 minutes. An SPF of 15 should work for 150 minutes, 30 for 300 minutes, etc.
The amount of sunscreen to apply is one of the most frequent questions. The answer is not really that complicated: a teaspoon for your face and a tablespoon for each arm or leg. You shouldn't wait until you're out in the sun to put it on. Give the product some time to work itself into your skin by putting it about 30 minutes before you walk out under the sun. If you're engaging in physical activity where the lotion might get washed away by sweat and/or water, consider re-applying every hour; if not, then every three to five hours should be enough. Using waterproof sunscreen is an even more interesting option.
Small kids' skins are more sensitive, so you're better off buying hypoallergenic sunscreen for them, to avoid irritation.There are some easier to apply spray and other sunscreens that make applying it to children easier.
Staying out in the sun for long without the proper protection can cause serious skin damage, but you can avoid it. Apply sunscreen to protect your skin! And please, if you're bald, don't forget to put some on your head also!
