Guest Post: Andrea on Sunscreen
Posted in News on November 14th, 2010 by Reagan
Note from Reagan: In the last few years, I’ve started worrying about how my years of tanning during my teens would effect my fair skin. I’ve become a big fan of sunscreen in the last few years and I am basically best friends with my dermatologist in hopes of preventing any serious skin problems. I’m “high-risk” for skin cancer, so sunscreen isn’t even an option, but a total must during my daily routine. I asked my friend Andrea, who is an esthetician to write about the importance of sunscreen for all of us because she is often talking about skin care on her blog, and she really knows her stuff. I know skincare isn’t exactly hairdressering, but it is important…and even sort of relevant if you think about it long enough. I don’t know what the H I’m talking about when it comes to this stuff, so take it away, Andrea!
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I am so happy to be on HDOF! I’ve been an avid follower ever since Reagan created it. She even
answered my frizzy question
On my own blog I get a lot of makeup and other skin care questions, which I totally enjoy. While giving
advice about makeup and other things is really fun (I do love makeup) Reagan asked me to write about
something a little bit more important for once. I’m talking about sunscreen and not just for wrinkle
prevention (which I am vain enough to care a lot about) but cancer prevention.
One thing I noticed with my clients was that a lot of them seemed to think that if they didn’t get a
sunburn then they weren’t damaging their skin. This is 100% false. Every second your skin is exposed to
the sun it is being damaged. And all of that damage doesn’t just go away, it builds up over your entire
life. We all need vitamin D but you get enough vitamin D in your walk from your driveway to your car to
last a week. (Disclaimer, I am NOT a dermatologist, but I’m pretty sure that’s true.) Plus if you’re
concerned you aren’t getting enough, supplements do just as good of a job.
Here are a few sunscreen tips:
1. You need to wear sunscreen every single day, not just when you are at the lake. It doesn’t matter if it’s
raining and you’re only going to the post office, UV Rays don’t take days off due to weather.
2. Using sunscreen is great, but you also need to make sure you are using enough. Smearing on a tiny bit
isn’t going to give you the coverage you need. Pretend you have really dry skin and use it like you’d use a
moisturizer.
3. Some types of makeup have sunscreen built right in, which is great. The problem is it gives people a
false sense of security because it really only gives you about 30% of the coverage you actually need.
4. Anything below SPF 20 isn’t worth your time. At least 20 people!
5. There are two different kinds of UV-Rays that you need to be protected against, UV-A and UV-B. The
sunscreen you buy needs to be a broad spectrum sunscreen because that means it protects against both.
5. If your face is anything like mine it doesn’t like sunscreen. I actually got a rash from using it everyday
because I was sensitive to something in it. But luckily I found an all natural one that is awesome! It’s by
USkinCare, you can find it here. You have to buy it from a licensed professional (esthetician, hair stylist, etc). Totally worth it!
6. Sunscreen expires and becomes less effective over time. New sunscreen every six months!
7. Self checks are very important. You need to learn about the ABC’s of moles and talk to a
dermatologist if you see anything suspicious. Here is a link with a full description and pictures of what the ABC’s are.
8. Don’t forget about your lips! They are skin too. Putting on high shine lip gloss might look super pretty
but it will draw in damage like laying out with baby oil on. Use some chapstick (they have kinds that
come with spf) first.
I think that a lot of people feel invincible when it comes to skin cancer because sometimes (NOT all the
time) it’s not something you have to deal with until you’re older. I bet if you asked anyone who’d ever
had it, or even had a scare, they would tell you they wished they’d taken precautionary steps when they
were younger.
I’m a little embarrassed to write this next story, because I totally overreacted, but a few years ago I
had a teeny mole that started itching. I heard that itching can mean the mole is growing deeper and
it should be checked out. I made an emergency appointment at the dermatologist and had him look
at every single teeny mole on my body. In that moment I wished I could give back every little bit of
tan my skin had ever seen. I regretted tanning so bad! And this wasn’t even a real scare, there wasn’t
anything wrong with me and the Dr. was a little annoyed that he stayed late to see me because I was
an “emergency.” I can’t imagine how terrible I would have felt if there had actually been a problem! It’s
not worth it!
Most of the damage we cause to our skin happens in our teens but then doesn’t present itself until years
later. I can’t speak for everyone but when I was a teen I didn’t care that I had pale skin that doesn’t tan
well, all I wanted was to look “better” and I burned over and over and over trying to get a tan. Well
people I am here to say that being tan is going out of style! Slather your kids up as soon as you take
them outside and teach them that pale is pretty, because it is. The closer your skin is to it’s natural color,
the healthier it is. Here are some very pretty pale people to prove it.
(Reagan, if I ever come to NY will you please cut my bangs like this?) (Reagan here….of course, crazy! Come soon!)
THANKYOUANDREA!!
I’m going to go hug my sunscreen. (ps my derm told me to use 30spf during the winter and 50spf during the summer.)
Oooo, I like this post a lot. My absolute favorite aunt in the whole world passed away at the age of 40 from skin cancer. Thanks for posting this! Also, I thought SPF 30 was getting me by in the summer time all of these years (and only one application a day) and I am 22 with early stages of wrinkles! Sunscreen=healthy beautiful life long skin!
My ABC’s link stopped working! Here’s another one:
http://bodybuilding.fitness.com/member-articles/4670-abcs-moles-signs-melanoma.html
Thank you for posting this! I’m very pale, but over the last several years have tried to embrace the “pale skin is healthy skin” mantra…I mean, I literally tell myself that when I get jealous over someone’s bronzed skin. SPF 20 on the face every morning. And now I’m going to have to bump up to 50 for the summer…I was also using 30!
What about doing a post about hair care products to protect the scalp from the sun? I am very, very blonde and have fine hair. Finding something to keep my poor scalp from frying is not easy. If I’m ok with looking like a total grease head then it’s not a problem, but…ew.
I think you might want to check your Vitamin D advice. From what I’ve read/heard, we need at least 10 minutes of unprotected sun exposure every day to get the vitamin D we need. Check out this site:
http://www.naturalnews.com/003069.html
Great post! I am seriously a nazi about sunscreen for myself (I need to be better about making my kids do it!) I found some I really like, its the neutrogena liquid suncreen spf55, its nice and light under makeup.
Brittney could be right about Vitamin D, like I said I’m no dermatologist, but it is true that supplements work just as well. My very own dermatologist told me that
Ten minutes a day of sun exposure is quite a bit damage and wrinkle-wise. 10 minutes of sun exposure can cause fine lines visible as little as two weeks later.
did I miss it? what is the link to Andrea’s blog on skin care!??
I had a good (male) friend that died from skin cancer on his scalp. We went to high school together. He was 35, a newlywed and about to have his baby. He was a total white blonde. He went for a haircut and the barber told him to see a dr. He died 6 weeks later never seeing his baby! The Arizona Republic ran a story a few years ago about hairdressers that have saved people lives. Thanks Reg for doing this post.
I grew up when it was cool to lather ourselves with baby oil and lay in the sun the entire day. I know, I’m old. 53 to be exact. I have had melanoma on my face twice. The first time I had surgery to remove it, I had 100 stitches. The second time I had 50 stitches. When you walk around with a bandage covering the entire right side of your face, you tone down the vanity just a bit. Ladies and gentlemen, WEAR SUNSCREEN!!!! We all think we are invincible, but I have had my face cut twice to prove I’m not.
Well done, you two! Very important. I hope more Australians are reading, HIGHEST incidence of skin CANCER in the WORLD right here. Just spray it on people, truly.
Thanks for this. I just had skin cancer removed from INSIDE MY EAR of all places….luckily no further treatment required, but scary. I heart sunscreen
Great post. I’m going out to buy sun screen tomorrow.
I grew up on the beach in Southern California. Literally all there was to do in our small beach town was go to the beach. I, along with everyone else, covered ourselves in baby oil and proceeded to sit on the bach for 8 hours only getting up to surf. Nothing is worse that older women who spend too much time in the sun and I do not want to be one of them.
Next time I am in NYC visiting my son Dylan, an you cut my bangs and hair like Reece Witherspoon? I like it.
–Mari
when i was 20 i had a cancerous melanoma removed from my leg. it did not even look like a harmful mole. in fact, the doc just thought i wanted to remove it for cosmetic reasons and did not even test it for a week. when she got the results back, she was stunned. she surgically went in and removed more from my leg. thankfully it had not spread much. the reason that i went in is because i noticed the mole when i was shaving. occasionally i would feel subtle shooting pains in my leg that got my attention. i kept “coincidentally” hearing things about melanomas. i felt in my heart there was something wrong with my mole…what i believe to be god’s nudging. don’t ignore the prodding in your heart and body if you think something is off!
I’m not pale. Not quite olive, and I don’t burn or wear makeup often. So how do I fit sunscreen into my routine? I don’t wear much makeup and use straight jojoba oil on my skin. I worry about sunscreen making me break out. Is this a rational fear?
Oh and I wanted to say that your vit. D statement is absolutely false (without sounding too negative). You would need 10-20 minutes with full exposure. That is, exposed chest/arms and torso. So taking a vitamin D supplement is key.
And if I may be completely vain…I am 44, and I started wearing sunscreen every day when I was about 25; nothing major, it was just part of my moisturizer (I really like Neutrogena oil-free with SPF 15). I look at least 8 years younger and my friends are JEAL. So seriously, use sunscreen, even if you don’t care one whit about your health — do it for your vanity! (The health benefits are nice too! ; )
PS Yes, you WILL be 44 one day, trust me.
PS to Ashley above, I used to break out a lot in my younger days and the Neutrogena is super, super light and didn’t break me out. Now i just use it out of habit.
I LOVE, LOVE that this has been written about! I don’t feel like we are educated enough about the importance of using sunscreen (DAILY) and getting yearly skin checks. I am 35 years old and was diagnosed with melanoma 4 weeks ago. I will tell you that my doctor felt sure the place that was on my arm was only a halo nevus NOT melanoma. She called me from her home 4 days later just as shocked as I was. I had a freckle, I repeat–freckle, that had developed this small white ring around it. I have since had a 2 inch in diameter and >1/4 deep place cut out of my upper left arm. Melanoma is disfiguring and “a beast”, as my dermatologist calls it. I went to get this skin check because a good friend of mine had learned that her wedding photographer in Jacksonville, Fl. discovered she had melanoma and died 14 weeks later. She left her husband and a 2 year old behind. Because of this I was inspired to take myself to a dermatologist and GET CHECKED! I thank God I made this choice and will hopefully see my little girl grow up. Please be inspired as well!
Ashley – if you ever read this, the sunscreen that I linked to in the post is from an awesome all natural aussie line and shouldn’t make you break out. It’s the only one that I’ve used daily that didn’t irritate my skin, so unfortunately I don’t have another recommendation, though I am sure there are other great ones out there.
Jojaba oil is really good for your skin so props for using that, I would put that on, let it sit for about 10 minutes, and then apply sunscreen over it. You are lucky you can go out with little or no makeup on! But even if you did wear makeup you’d still need to use a sunscreen.
Not to beat a dead horse, and no one has been mean at all, but I feel the need to defend my vitamin D statement! I said that because that was something my derm said to me. He was obviously being sarcastic! I will take a supplement over 20 minutes of sun exposure any day!
Great post! Thank you for putting this out there for us. I needed the reminder to get my yearly check! I noticed that the link to the ABCs of Mole Warning Signs doesn’t quite get there, so here’s the one that works: http://www.afraidtoask.com/skinCA/skinwarning.html
Thanks again! Happy new year!
Hello Andrea,
I wanted to let you know that I enjoyed reading your sunscreen blog. I have been in the sunscreen business for over 16 years and read many, many studies, reviews and blogs, so well done.
I wanted to share some information with you about suncare products and our products, KINeSYS Performance Sunscreen, and would like to offer to send you some product to try if you are interested.
There is no such thing as “natural” sunscreen (mud works but doesn’t look so good). I fully agree that in this chemical laden world that we should find alternatives if possible, that is why KINeSYS is a Proud signer of The Compact for Safe Cosmetics.
Sunscreen ingredients are regulated and are broken down into two groups: organic ingredients- chemical- that tend to absorb UV light; and inorganic ingredients- minerals, which reflect UV light. KINeSYS technically is “organic”, but doesn’t and won’t market it as “organic”. The ingredients have been in the market since 1939 and have been extensively researched, tested and documented.
Inorganic ingredients zinc oxide and titanium dioxide reflect radiation (which are often marketed as “natural, organic or chemical free”) but to micronize or nanosize these minerals takes an aggressive chemical process to make the minerals small enough to go into a cream or powder and minerals absorb chemicals. It’s also a mechanical process- still using energy. The processing of the zinc oxide and titanium dioxide into nanoparticles allows formulation of a product that is transparent, yet reflects all components of UV radiation. The jury is still out on the safety of nanoparticles. The EPA & FDA are looking into new studies on nanoparticles in skin care, as they’ve been around for less than 10 years. I have read numerous articles and I really don’t know what to believe, as we make a sunscreen with Micronized Zinc Ointment with 25% zinc oxide.
All of the KINeSYS products are Dermatologist tested and used. They are the only Oil, Alcohol, PABA, Preservative, and Paraben Free spray sunscreen products on the market (they don’t contain oxybenzone or BP3). They are hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic, very water & sweat resistant, offer photo-stable broad- spectrum UVA/UVB protection and contain topical anti-oxidants to scavenge free radicals. KINeSYS has received accolades and awards including iParenting, MOM’s Best and PTPA (Parent Tested Parent Approved).
We take pride in our environmental stewardship since our inception in 1994 in Canada, we have always cared and been aware of the environment, using recyclable packaging including soy based inks, recyclable non-pressurized aerosol pumps, so when the bottle is empty, it can go right in your recycling box. All our products are produced using sustainable wind energy and we purchase carbon offsets for all the other energy used, ie. office power, cars and travel, making KINeSYS Inc. carbon neutral.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you if you are interested in trying them.
Regards,
Jeff
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