How To Protect Your Skin Against the Sun
If you spend a lot of time outdoors, it’s important to protect your skin to reduce your chances of burns, signs of aging, and even skin cancer.
How Can I Protect My Skin from the Sun Without Sunscreen?
The following are some ways you can protect your skin from the sun without sunscreen:
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat
- Wear wrap-around sunglasses that block at least 99% of UV light
- Wear clothes with darker, tightly woven fabric
- Wear long-sleeved pants and shirts
- Limit sun exposure between 10AM & 4PM
- Stay inside or use special caution when the UV index is 6 higher
- Use a topical antioxidant product containing vitamin C, green tea or retinol
- Be especially careful to protect your skin around reflective surfaces like water, snow, and sand
What Do You Use to Protect Yourself from the Sun?
The following can help protect you from the sun:
- Sunscreen products
- Clothing and accessories such as hats, sunglasses, and long-sleeved shirts and pants
Do Hats Protect You from the Sun?
Hats can provide some protection for your ears, eyes, forehead, nose, and scalp, but they need to have a 2-3 inch brim all the way around.
How Can You Protect Yourself from Sun Damage?
Wearing sunscreen with broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection every day can help protect your skin from sun damage. It should have an SPF of at least 30 and be reapplied frequently, especially if you’re sweating or are in the water.
How Does Sunscreen Protect the Skin?
There are two main types of sunscreen: physical (also called mineral) and chemical. Physical sunscreen contains blockers that sit on top of your skin and reflect the sun’s rays before they penetrate the skin. Chemical sunscreen works differently since it absorbs UV radiation and transforms it into heat that’s released from the skin.
What is a Natural Sunscreen for Your Face?
Natural products usually refer to those that are made with minimally modified ingredients that are found in nature, such as plants or minerals. Ingredients such as titanium dioxide, which is a naturally occurring mineral, and zinc oxide, which is naturally occurring but can also be synthetically produced, are ingredients you may want to look for.
How Can I Take Care of My Skin Naturally?
Take care of your skin naturally by using a natural sunscreen product, wearing items like hats, long-sleeved shirts, and pants and avoiding the sun during the peak part of the day.
How Long Can You Stay in the Sun Without Sunscreen?
You should generally apply sunscreen every day, but, depending on your skin tone and the UV index, you may be able to spend about 20 minutes in the sun without wearing sunscreen.
To find out more about how to protect your skin from the sun, make an appointment today with Dermatology Consultants of Short Hills. Our board-certified dermatologists use the latest technologies to provide our patients with the safest and most effective treatments.
