There's much you can do to protect yourself and to help keep your
family's skin healthy. In fact, one of the most effective means may be
the simplest: protect yourself against the sun.
The sun remains a major cause of premature skin aging such as dry skin,
wrinkles and age spots. No matter what your age, it's important to
protect yourself against the sun. A few sun safe habits to make your
own and to instill in your family are:
Do not sunbathe.
Avoid
peak hours if possible. The sun's damaging rays (called ultraviolet or
"UV" rays) are the strongest between 10 AM and 4 PM. the peak hours for
harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Remain inside or seek out the
shade.
Apply sunscreen. Choose a sunscreen
with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15, and follow
directions carefully paying attention to expiration dates. UV rays can
pass through clouds and reflect off of cement and even snow. So be sure
to wear sunscreen every day. Apply liberally and remember to apply to
the areas that you tend to miss such as your ears, hands and feet
Stay away from tanning beds.
Instill
good sun protection habits in your children at an early age. The damage
that leads to adult skin cancer can start in childhood.
Wear
protective clothing. Wear wide-brimmed hats, UV-blocking sunglasses and
dark, tightly-woven fabric to reduce exposure to the sun's harmful
rays. Clothing specially designed to filter out sun should be
considered an option if you simply cannot avoid exposure.