Sunlight is an integral part of life and has several benefits. It improves mood, maintains healthy vitamin D levels, and boosts the immune system. However, even with these benefits, sunlight can adversely affect the skin.
Excess sun exposure can lead to a sunspot and premature aging. It could also result in the development of skin cancer. One of the top ways of protecting your skin from sun damage is usually through the use of sunscreen.
However, most sunscreens have harsh chemicals that research has shown to cause skin irritation. Therefore, this article aims to provide chemical-free ways of protecting your skin from sun damage.
Let's begin.
Using sunscreen is one of the best ways of protecting your skin from sun damage. Many dermatologists prefer it because they contain zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
These are ingredients that can block UV rays. However, many people are wary of certain ingredients in traditional sunscreens, like oxybenzone, fragrances, retinol, and parabens.
These are some reasons people tend to go for mineral sunscreen, especially people with dark skin. Besides being made with zinc oxide, dark skin sunscreen can treat UV damage caused by the sun and hemorrhoids and burns.
Another way to protect your skin from the sun is wearing protective clothing. They can sometimes be more competent than sunscreen. Fabrics that can protect your skin from direct sunlight would have a huge impact on preventing damage.
Examples are long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Also, ensure that they are light in color. You can also choose close-knit clothing against low-quality materials that UV rays can break. Search for clothes specifically made with sun-protective materials.
Hats can cover your neck and ears and provide protection. However, if you wish to get the most out of it, wear a hat with a brim and ensure it goes around your ears, face, and neck. One of the best hat types is tightly woven fabrics like canvas.
Such types of hats are best for protecting your skin from UV rays. However, it would be best if you didn't use straw hats with holes since they allow sunlight to your face. If you like wearing a baseball cap, you should ensure it protects your ear and neck.
Several foods have sun-protective properties. An example is carotenoids. They are plant pigments found in vegetables and fruits and can help protect your skin and eyes from sun damage.
Research has shown that they also have anti-carcinogenic properties, which is a welcome fact since they can help protect you from dangerous UV rays, which can cause skin cancer. Additionally, you can use color to determine if a vegetable or fruit has carotenoids.
Orange plants like yams, apricots, and carrots are rich in carotenoids, and dark leafy greens like spinach and kale. Eggs, especially egg yolk, are among the best sources of carotenoids. So these foods, which are easy to find, can give you a boost of sun protection.
Spending time outside is great. It lets you get a good amount of sunlight and breathe fresh air. However, to protect your skin, you must be mindful of exposing your skin when outdoors.
The sun is at its strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. During this time, the sun's rays can easily damage your skin. So you should wear shades or sun protection.
You can desist from regularly spending a long time outdoors. Doing this will help protect your skin. If you must spend more time outdoors, ensure that you periodically apply mineral sunscreen since they usually lose their effectiveness over the day.
Sunglasses can reduce getting cataracts and also protect your eyes from UV rays. They can also protect the tender skin around your eyes from the sun.
When searching for sunglasses, get those with a UV absorption rate of 99% or higher. A sunglass capable of blocking UVB and UVA would offer the best protection.
Though the sun can provide warmth, its UV rays can be very harmful to the skin when exposed for an extended time. These side effects include an increased risk of skin cancer, wrinkles, lines, and age spots. These are reasons excessive sun exposure isn't a good idea.
The best method of protecting your skin from sun damage is to incorporate the sun protection habits mentioned above into your daily routine. Also, if your skins already show sun damage signs, you can seek skin treatments to help remedy some symptoms.
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