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The sun’s rays make us feel good, and in the short term, make us look good. But our love affair isn’t a two-way street. Exposure to sun causes most of the wrinkles and age spots on our faces. Consider this: One woman at age 40 who has protected her skin from the sun actually has the skin of a 30-year-old!
We often associate a glowing complexion with good health, but skin color obtained from being in the sun – or in a tanning booth – actually accelerates the effects of aging and increases your risk for developing skin cancer.
Sun exposure causes most of the skin changes that we think of as a normal part of aging. Over time, the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) light damages the fibers in the skin called elastin. When these fibers break down, the skin begins to sag, stretch, and lose its ability to go back into place after stretching. The skin also bruises and tears more easily – taking longer to heal. So while sun damage to the skin may not be apparent when you’re young, it will definitely show later in life.
How Does the Sun Change My Skin?
Exposure to the sun causes:
- Pre-cancerous (actinic keratosis) and cancerous (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma) skin lesions – due to decreases in the skin’s immune function
- Benign tumors
- Fine and coarse wrinkles
- Freckles
- Discolored areas of the skin, called mottled pigmentation
- Sallowness – a yellow discoloration of the skin
- Telangiectasias – the dilation of small blood vessels under the skin
- Elastosis – the destruction of the elastic and collagen tissue (causing lines, wrinkles and sagging skin)
Sun protection is essential to skin cancer prevention – about 90 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers and about 86 percent of melanomas are associated with exposure to UV radiation from the sun.
How Do I Protect My Skin?
Stay out of the midday sun (from 10 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon), which is the strongest sunlight. Find shade if you need to be outdoors. You can also calculate how much ultraviolet (UV) exposure you are getting by using the shadow rule: A shadow that is longer than you are means UV exposure is low; a shadow that is shorter than you are means the UV exposure is high. Don’t forget the sunscreen. Slather sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or greater from head to toe, everyday and reapply every 2 hours.
Other ways to protect yourself from the sun include wearing protective clothing, such as:
- Hats with wide 4 in. (10 cm) brims that cover your neck, ears, eyes, and scalp.
- Sunglasses with UV ray protection, to prevent eye damage.
- Loose-fitting, tightly woven clothing that covers your arms and legs.
- Clothing made with sun protective fabric. These clothes have a special label that tells you how effective they are in protecting your skin from ultraviolet rays.
A touch of class can help you protect your skin while remaining fashionable and comfortable. A Touch of Class offers a wide variety of skin protecting sun hats to meet your every need and coordinate with any swim attire. Stop by the shop at The Big Apple Shopping Bazaar to browse the latest selection of sunhats and accessories.
A Touch of Class
Big Apple Shopping Bazaar
5283 W Atlantic Ave, Delray Beach, Fl
