Summertime Fun and Sun

Now that we are approaching summertime, we all know how important it is to wear sunscreen No matter what your age.

You would be amazed to see the sundamage under your skin that has not crept to the surface yet. As we age and our skin thins, those nasty sun spots on our face are acually sun damage causing hyperpigmentation. Some of us are more prone to those spots than others

Research shows 90 percent of wrinkles are caused by the sun's UVA light and sun damage is the #1 cause of premature aging in women and men.

I recommend using a good sunscreen with a SPF of at least 3o. Wear it UNDER your makeup. Don't rely on makeup that has SPF. It is not as effective and usually loses it efficacy, due to the ingredients in the product that break down the SPF. Also, do not think that mineral powder takes the place of a good SPF, it does not.

Even at low-level exposures, UVA light breaks down collagen, which causes wrinkles. Even worse, scientists have found that UVA is the main culprit for many melanomas because it reaches deep into the underlying support structure of the skin.

If you work in an office with large windows, wearing sunscreen indoors is equally as important. Wear your sunscreen while driving reapplying throughout the day. Many of us have sun damage on one side of our face and our hands from driving.

There are many good SPF on the market today, ranging from drug store brands to speciality brands found only at the doctor's office. Some brands I like - Young Pharmaceutical's Mela Shade and Mela-Shade E, TI-SILC, Obagi C-RxC Sungard, La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL Lait SPF, SkinCeuticals Physical UV Defense, Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunblock.

And look for protection from both UVA and UVB rays.