How can the sun affect your skin?

Is your skin ready for those intense summer days? 😎



When we're in the sun, how is our skin affected?

Sunlight comes in the form of UV rays. The longest of these UV rays that reach Earth's surface are called UVA rays, and the shorter ones are called UVB rays. Too much UVB rays can lead to sunburn, and too much UVA rays can travel deeper into your skin and affect its health. When UV rays enter skin cells, they upset delicate processes that affect the skin's growth and appearance.

 

It's only a sunburn...right?

Not quite! Overtime, as your skin is exposed to more skin, the UV rays can cause lessen the elasticity in your skin, making it leathery and wrinkled. There are also links between too much sun exposure and skin cancer. The sun can damage the DNA in our skin cells. DNA is what tells our cells how to function properly, and if too much damage builds up overtime, it can cause the cells to start growing out of control, which can lead to skin cancer.



Sunscreen Tips

• Cover sensitive areas of skin like your neck, face, ears, tops of your feet and legs.
• If you have thinning hair, either apply sunscreen to your scalp or wear a hat.
• Avoid the sun between 10am and 2pm
• 30 SPF and above allows for a sufficient amount of protection to reduce or minimize adverse effects from the sun
• Reapply your sunscreen every 2 hours, or more frequently if you are sweating or swimming