Protect Your Skin From The Sun

By using moisturizers on a regular basis, you can help keep your skin soft and supple as you age.

When you are going to be in the sun, it is particularly important to protect yourself and your children from harmful sun rays. If you use a sunscreen or sunblock with a moisturizer, you are doubly protecting yourself against UVA/ UVB rays.

UVB rays cause your skin to burn faster and therefore you can see immediate skin damage.

UVA rays penetrate deeper to the skin to the deeper layer so you won't actually see sunburn but can cause long term damage. The rays exposure can cause signs of aging and can lead to skin cancer.

Sunblock and sunscreen have similar properties but both are entirely different. Both are important in caring of the skin, sunblock is opaque and is stronger than sunscreen since it is able to block a majority of the UVA/UVB rays and radiation from the sun, thus not having to be reapplied several times a day. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are two of the important ingredients in sunblock.

Sunscreen is more transparent once applied to the skin and also has the ability to protect against UVA/UVB rays as well, although the sunscreen's ingredients have the ability to break down at a faster rate once exposed to sunlight, and some of the radiation is able to penetrate to the skin. In order for sunscreen to be more effective you'll have to consistently reapply at least every two hours, and use a higher SPF (Sun Protection Factor).

Here are some recommendations to safeguard against sun's powerful rays:

• Make sure you use a moisturizing sunblock or sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 which has protection against UVA/ UVB rays . Even on cloudy days, 80% of ultraviolet rays from the sun get through to you.
• Wear a hat to keep your scalp, neck and ears sheltered from the sun.
• Wear sunglasses with UV protection.
• Whether you are playing, working, exercising, or just outdoors, always apply a moisturising sunblock liberally every 2 hours.
• The sun's rays are the strongest and most damaging between 10am and 4pm. Try to stay out of the sun or apply adequate sun protection during these hours.
• Keep babies younger than 5 months out of the sun. For babies and young children than 6 months, try to minimise exposure and make sure they are wearing a moisturising sunblock with a SPF of at least 15.

Watch the following How To Choose A Sunscreen video.

How To Choose a Sunscreen on Howcast

Related Tools / Resources

The Skin Care Answer Book

Coppertone Sport SPF 30 Continuous Spray Clear Twin Pack, 6-Ounce Cans
Banana Boat Sunscreen Ultramist Sport With High Uva, SPF 15, 6-Ounces (Pack of 3)
Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock Spray, SPF 70, 5-Ounce Cans (Pack of 3)
Banana Boat UltraMist Baby Tear Free Continuous Spray Sunblock, SPF 50 - 8 Oz