Sunblock sticks are the best facial sunscreens. Physical barriers provide the best sun protection. Sunblock sticks with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, and both UVA and UVB protection, are the best facial sunscreens. Getting your children in the habits of wearing thick sunscreen on their faces will save their skin. Wearing other physical barriers, such as hats and surf shirts, is also a habit they should adopt.
Aviator sunglasses are bad for your skin. Aviator sunglasses with metal rims are cute, but you have to give them the boot! The metal rims absorb sunlight and heat faster than plastic rims, which causes brown skin discoloration (sun damage) on the face. Sun damage in the shape of sun glasses is common, but does not fade on its own. Choosing sunglasses with plastic rims will protect you more effectively and will help prevent the development of moles or skin cancer in the eyes.
Spray sunscreens really are too good to be true. Aerosol sunscreens simply do not provide enough sun protection. In order to get the SPF (sun protection factor) listed on the sunscreen bottle, you must be reapplying a thick layer to your skin regularly (at least one shot glass worth to your face). Most of the sunscreen in a spray bottle aerosolizes before it gets onto the body. This is why creams and sticks with SPF’s of 50 or more with both UVA and UVB protection are the best sunscreen options.
The neck, back, ears, lips, and scalp get the most sun…and the most skin cancer! It is very easy to forget to apply sunscreen to the areas of your body that get hit by the sun first. Apply sunscreen to your scalp, hairline, ears, lips, and neck, in addition to the rest of your body. Many sunscreen companies make sunscreen applicators for the hairline to make applying sunscreen to the scalp easy! Wide-brimmed hats should be also worn to protect you from the sun; straw hats and baseball caps do not provide enough coverage. If we can see your ears then the sun can see them too.
Wearing fragrances in the sun can discolor your skin. Practice avid sun protection when wearing perfumes or touching citrus when you’re in the sun. The contact of certain fragrances or citrus foods and drinks can cause your skin to turn red and brown when exposed to the sun. This occurrence is harmless, however, the skin discoloration can take months to fade!
