Sun Protection Tips

Sun Protection Tips to Help Prevent Skin Cancer

Exposure to the sun can cause skin cancer and sun damage in the form of wrinkles, brown spots, redness, and sagging skin.

Here are some tips and information from Dr. Irwin and her colleague at Madison Skin & Laser Center,  Dr. Heather Rogers:

• Use a sunscreen on your face, neck, chest and hands daily.
• Wear a hat that protects your face and ears—especially if you are losing hair.
• Wear large close-fitting sunglasses with UV protection to protect against eye damage and wrinkles around the eyes.
• Stay out of the sun between 10am and 4pm, when the radiation is the strongest.
• Cover up! Try UV protective clothing (a typical white T-shirt only has an SPF of 7).
• Be sure that you take 2,000-3,000 units of vitamin D daily if you use regular sunscreen and live in the Northwest. Ask your primary care doctor or dermatologist to test your blood level of vitamin D.

Picking a Good Sunscreen

There are so many options, but the key is to find a sunscreen you like and will use regularly.

• For daily wear if you are mostly inside, a facial moisturizer or sunscreen with SPF 30 is ideal and easy to use.
• For days spent outdoors, a higher SPF with is recommended with "broad-spectrum" (better UVA) protection. Look for sunscreens zinc oxide or titanium (5% or greater). Or for sunscreens with Mexoryl 3% or "stabilized" Parsol/avobenzone. These all give excellent UVA and UVB protection.

Layering sunscreens is a very good idea in sun sensitive patients or patients prone to melasma. For example, after the application of a cream sunscreen apply a tinted powder sunscreen like the Colorescience SPF 30.

Sunscreen Options 

The links in some of these sunscreens will take you to SkinCareRx.com, our online partner, where you can get more information or buy them.

For daily use: Anthelios Sunscreen SPF 40 (Mexoryl), Colorescience Powder SPF 30 (zinc/titanium), Neutrogena Healthy Defense SPF 30 (stabilized Parsol/avobenzone), SkinCeuticals 20 or 30 (zinc), Vanicream Sunscreens (good for allergy prone skin)

For outdoor occupations or athletes: SkinCeuticals Sport UV Defense SPF 45, Fallene CoTZ SPF 58 (pretty good price at $26), Estion Sunscreen with Zinc SPF 38 (only $15.50), SolBAR Zinc SPF 38, Neutrogena Helioplex SPF 55 and higher. Layer with Colorscience Powders for superb sun protection that is sweat resistant.

Sprays for golfers, fishermen, etc.: Shady Day Spray SPF 30, Neutrogena Helioplex Cooling Mist SPF 55 and higher

Wipes: Shady Day Daily Sun Protection Wipes SPF 30

Lips: LipCotz SPF 45, Bert’s Bees Lifeguard formula

 

From www.SkinTour.com and Dr. Brandith Irwin. Copyright 2008-2012 SkinTour LLC. All rights reserved. Journalists, bloggers, and media may reprint this without permission so long as they include this credit box with the article.