7 Ways to Protect Your Skin This Summer ...

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This is the time of day when the sun’s rays are the strongest, so avoid outdoor activities during this time. For instance, put off mowing the lawn or doing gardening work, and do it in the evening or morning instead. If you do need or want to be outside during peak sun time, wear loose cotton clothing anda sunblock!

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Did you know you can get a sunburn even on a cloudy,rainy day, or in the middle of winter? You might not be thinking about sunscreen when you’re reaching for your umbrella, but for the best protection from the sun, you’ll want to apply sunblock every day, not just when you’re goingto the beach.

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There are so many types of sunblock, you might not be sure what you need. For your scalp, use a gel sunblock. For your face, use a stick. For your arms and legs, use a cream or lotion. If you’re going in the water, or will be doing exercise that might make you sweat, use a waterproof sunblock.

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Most of us don’t even know what that SPF number means. In short, the higher the number, the better the protection. The SPF is the amount of UV radiation required to cause sunburn on skin with the sunscreen on, relative to the amount required without the sunscreen. So, wearing a sunscreen with SPF 50, your skin will not burn until it has been exposed to 50 times the amount of solar energy that would normally cause it to burn.

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The biggest mistake most of us make when we’re trying to protect our skin from the sun is that we don’t apply the sunblock early enough. In order for the sunblock to work, it needs to be applied 20 to 30 minutes BEFORE exposure to the sun. Don’t wait til you get to the beachto start slathering it on! Put it on before you even get in the car!

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No matter what that bottle of sunblock says, and no matter how high the SPF factor, you MUST re-apply it every two hours AT THE LATEST. If you’re swimming or perspiring, you’ll want to apply it a lot sooner, about every half hour.

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This is a popular statement right now, but according to every dermatologist I’ve asked, it’s completely untrue, and dangerous. Simply put, the sun is a known carcinogen. Sure, you can get plenty of Vitamin D from sun exposure, but it’s just not worth the risk, when getting it from your food, drink, or supplements is so much safer. And who doesn’t love cheese?

I know, I know, we all look so much better with the rosy glow of a tan, but you can get that healthy glow and still be healthy! And besides, sun exposure can also cause wrinkles,age spots and premature aging— yikes! So protect your skin from the sun and live longer and look younger! Do you have any other tips for sun protection this summer you’d like to share? Please let me know!

Top Photo Credit: Sexy Swedish Babe