With the sun beating down, summer in full swing, and vacations abound, a lot of skin care advice is flying around – and it might not all be correct. Read on for our top 5 summer skin care myths.
Myth #1: My skin will be better protected if I get a base tan.
Wrong! While having a tan does mean that your skin has increased melanin, and melanin helps protect against sun burn, the added protection is only equivalent to an SPF of about 3-4. A base tan does not provide nearly enough protection for your skin, even on the cloudiest of days. Truth: Any tan is the body’s response to the skin being damaged.
Myth #2: Tanning booths are safe.
Think again. Many people think that just because tanning booths help you get tan with less chance of a burn, they protect your skin or are in some way better than the effects of the sun. The truth is, tanning booths are way worse. While normal sun burn is caused by UVB (burning) rays, tanning beds use UVA (aging) rays, which can penetrate deeper into the skin and cause more damage.
Myth #3: All I need to look for in a suntan lotion is a high SPF.
Actually, looking for a suitable SPF is only part of the winning formula for safe skin care during the summer. Two other ingredients are crucial for safe skin care: Titanium Dioxide and Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate. Titanium Dioxide helps to scatter UV light and block both UVA and UVB rays, while Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate is the leading FDA approved sun blocker, and is adept at absorbing UV rays. Look for sun care products that contain these ingredients, and you’ll be able to keep your skin healthy, even in the sun.
Other things matter besides for the chemical composition. It is advisable to use a sunscreen on your face that is specially designed for faces, because body sun screens are usually made with heavier oils that may not be suitable for faces. Try a face moisturizer with sun screen that is compatible with your skin type.
Myth #4: I just need sun screen on my face and body.
It’s easy to get to the beach, slather some sun block all over your body and on your face, and forget about two crucial areas: your eyes and lips. Lips are easily burnt, and must be protected by either special lip sunscreen, or with a lip wax containing SPF. Likewise, the eyes need protection too. Proper sun screen use on the eye area can also help to prevent wrinkles and other aging effects caused by the sun. Keep in mind that the eye area is the thinnest and oftentimes first to show signs of aging, so protecting this area is vital!
Myth #5: You don’t need sun screen on a cloudy day.
This is perhaps the biggest summer skin care myth of all. The fact is, the proper use of sun screen is not just for the summer. Protecting your skin is a year-round job. UV radiation and UVA/UVB rays penetrate through clouds and reach the Earth’s surface no matter what, meaning that daily sun screen use is the ultimate skin care weapon to keep your skin looking healthy, young, and beautiful.
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