Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, and cancer rates have more than tripled since the 1970’s in women under forty! Indoor tanning remains infinitely popular despite the looming threat of cancer risk that this activity brings- it raises one’s risk of melanoma by 75%.

Many of us do wear sunscreen when we go to the beach, or on a vacation. But we don’t consider the daily impact of the sun. There are UVA and UVB rays, and windows don’t protect us from UV light. Sitting near a window, driving in a car, walking to and from a building, standing outside. The sun doesn’t discriminate and all of these short time periods add up into cumulative sun exposure.

Just imagine if I didn’t wear sunscreen for all of my trips in the car, standing outside for my son’s soccer practices and games, daily errands in and out of stores, banks and post offices… my weekly sun exposure would easily add up to about 15 hours! That’s one long day at the beach without sunscreen. And imagine the damage that would wreak on my skin. Other than being a cause of skin cancer, sun damage and photo aging causes rough texture, spots and mottling, lines and wrinkles, loss of firmness, sagging, yellowing and a general “leathery” appearance.

What’s your most powerful, most inexpensive anti-aging weapon? SUNSCREEN!!!

Wear it every single day. No excuses. Not just on your face, but on your neck, your chest and your arms- wherever you are getting sun exposure. Even if you’re inside for most of the day. Believe me. In ten years, you’ll be happy you did!

Think that your clothes have you covered? Think again. That white t-shirt you’ve got on provides only an SPF of 3! Darker clothes provide higher SPF. Hats are fabulous.

Protect your eyes as well, with sunglasses that have lenses with UVA/UVB protective lenses. Cheapie sunglasses typically don’t offer this protection. Your eyes are also vulnerable to damaging UV rays.

I take the sun seriously. I truly see it as my enemy and I don’t like to be left exposed to the elements. I always wear sunglasses, I have a large floppy black hat that protects my face, shoulders and chest from the sun, and I also will sit with an umbrella- YES, an umbrella! When I attend outdoor events!

Here I am last Saturday at my son’s soccer game (mind you, I had just also been to an earlier soccer game for my step-son, so this was my 3rd hour of sitting in the hot, direct sun. I am wearing SPF 70 Neutrogena Sunscreen, too!) Not only does my wacky Monet parasol keep the sun off of me, but it keeps me cool. Everyone else around me is sitting in their chairs baking in the sun using this as an opportunity to work on their tans. I do live in a very beachy-golf-tennis community where people perpetually exist with a bronze bake, and my paleness is a beacon of oddness. But I also go to a dermatologist that has a giant waiting room full of people waiting to be treated for skin cancer. And I know that in ten years, my sun avoidance and sunscreen use WILL pay off! So to everyone who thinks I am a nutcase for holding an umbrella when there’s no rain, I hope you all wake up soon! It’s just not worth it to fry in the sun!

Why not get a cute umbrella? There’s so many fun ones you can get these days. Rain or shine, you need one!

Sunscreens? What do I use?

Right now I am using a moisturizer with SPF 15 on my face and then I apply my minerals once this absorbs.

I’ve fallen in love with these two sunscreens, which absorb quickly and make it so easy to apply sunblock daily!!! Whether in the cream form or the mist, I give these both an A+. And they contain Helioplex, for complete broad spectrum protection.

And don’t forget your hat!!!

xoxo

Miss K