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Photo by Kevin Sullivan/The Orange County Register |
ummer is here, school is out and flesh is being released from its poly-cotton bonds. From bikini tops to board shorts, skin is finally back in for Southern California. But before you go sprinting out to the poolside to bathe in that bright, luscious sunlight, take a few tips from Sophia Parmenter, esthetician at Spa Gregorie’s in Newport Beach, on how to protect yourself from sunburn and other long-term skin damage.
• SPF 15 sunscreen is the bare minimum of protection for routine sun exposure. But for those spending more than an hour per day in the sun (for you commuters, that includes drive time), try an SPF 30 or higher.
• Make sure your sunscreen protects against both UVB rays, those that cause sunburn, and UVA rays, those that cause other long-term damage such as premature aging of the skin.
• Waterproofing is good for cell phones and iPods, but when it comes to sunscreen, reapplication must be done every two hours in order to remain effective. Labels might advertise one application as sufficient, but studies done at University of California, Riverside say otherwise.
• Fair-skinned sunbathers do better with a high degree of broad UVA and UVB protection, meaning SPF 30 or higher for UVB and 95% protection for UVA.
• If you are pregnant or nursing, check sunscreen labels to avoid vitamin A.
• Typically, make-up and moisturizer infused with sunscreen does not provide effective protection since these products are often not applied as thoroughly or completely. However, certain sunscreens are made with a moisturizing base that helps with drier skin.
• Lipstick is about as likely to protect you from lightning as it is sunlight. Instead, trying finding a lip balm that includes an SPF 15 level of protection.
• If some sunlight does slip its way past these barriers, moisturizers and serums containing vitamins A, C and E, as well as peptides are available to help reverse skin damage.
