The key is to enjoy the sun sensibly, finding a balance between sun protection and those great summer activities like beach volleyball and swimming. Sunscreens block or change the effect of the sun's harmful rays. They're one of your best defenses against sun damage because they protect you without interfering with your comfort and activity levels.
Here are some tips to enjoy the great outdoors while protecting your skin and eyes from sun damage:. Even when you're serious about protecting your skin, you may sometimes want the glow of a tan. Luckily, many products on the market — but not sun lamps or tanning beds — will let you tan safely and sun-free.
One safe way to go bronze is with sunless self-tanners. These "tans in a bottle" contain dihydroxyacetone DHA , which gradually stains the dead cells in your skin's outer layer.
The "tan" lasts until these skin cells slough off, so exfoliating or vigorously washing will make the color fade faster. Typically, self-tanners last from several days to a week. You may have to try a few brands of self-tanner to find one that looks best with your skin tone. For a subtle, goof-proof glow, try moisturizers that contain a modest amount of fake tanner, letting you gradually build up a little color without blotches and staining — or the smell that some people dislike.
Ask a friend to help you apply self-tanner to spots you can't reach, like your back. And be sure to wash your hands as soon as you finish applying the tanner. Areas of your body that don't normally tan like the palms of your hands or soles of the feet just look dirty if you leave tanner on them. With self-tanners, you get better results if you exfoliate your skin with a scrub brush or loofah before the tanner is applied.
This evens your skin tone and removes dead skin cells. If you use a sunless tanner, you'll need to wear plenty of sunscreen when you go outdoors to protect you from the sun's rays.
Self-tanners don't generate melanin production, so they won't protect you against sunburn and some scientists believe they might even make skin more susceptible to sun damage. If you're thinking about using a sunless tanner, it's a good idea to avoid airbrush or spray-on tans. Spray tans may have unknown health risks because people can breathe in the spray, or the tanner may end up on their lips or eye area. Reviewed by: Patrice Hyde, MD. But while a higher concentration of melanin provides some sun protection, it doesn't prevent skin cancer.
In fact, many African-Americans with skin cancer don't catch it early enough, which is why skin cancer fatality rates are higher among African-Americans than other ethnic groups [source: National Cancer Institute ]. But everyone needs some sun exposure to produce vitamin D. Vitamin D, also known as the "sunshine vitamin," helps the body absorb calcium, which maintains bone density and prevents osteoporosis [source: Zelman ].
And research shows that vitamin D may also help protect against chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and heart disease [source: Kotz ]. However, dark-skinned people's high concentration of melanin makes it more difficult for them to produce enough vitamin D.
In fact, dark pigment in the skin reduces the skin's ability to synthesize vitamin D from sunlight by 95 percent. Lighter-skinned people can get enough vitamin D after 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure a few times a week, but people with dark complexions may need five to 10 times more sun exposure to synthesize that same amount of vitamin D [source: Zelman ].
Even though vitamin D is important to your health, you should always wear sunscreen when spending long periods of time in the sun. If you're concerned about vitamin D levels, speak to a doctor or dietician. Keep reading to learn more about how the sun affects people with dark complexions. Sign up for our Newsletter! Protect your skin and prevent unwanted tanning with proper sun protection. Always wear a hat, sun protective clothing, and sunscreen when outside.
Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using sunscreen every day to best protect your skin. Gently exfoliating with a homemade or store-bought scrub can help lighten the tone of your skin by removing dead skill cells on the surface. Just be careful to avoid the sun once you exfoliate. Dead skin cells can help protect against the sun. It turns out this sunburn salve is more than a powerful, anti-inflammatory skin soother.
A small study found that aloe vera may suppress the release of melanin and reduce pigmentation. This bright yellow spice has traditionally been used in India as a skin lightener. While it has not been proven to visibly lighten the skin, one study found that turmeric may help protect against sun damage when included in a cream.
However, turmeric can stain your face and just about everything else, including your clothes and counter yellow.
Use face wash or makeup remover immediately after a turmeric mask or topical application to help remove residue and prevent staining. A small study found that black tea extract can lighten a tan on guinea pigs, but more research needs to be done, especially on how homemade brews or topical products with black tea extracts affect humans. Many skin-lightening creams and treatments are now available over the counter. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends looking for a skin-lightening product that contains one of the following ingredients:.
These active ingredients can help lighten an existing tan or dark spots by exfoliating the skin and encouraging new cell growth. Some of them can also help slow the production of melanin to help prevent or reduce dark spots. Many of these treatments should be used only under the supervision of a dermatologist.
Irritation or dermatitis can result from using too high of a concentration or too many applications. It can also happen if you use a product on larger areas than it was designed for.
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