We are all born with different genes, and that includes the color and texture of our skin. While we can't do much about our facial features without resorting to plastic surgery, we can certainly make improvements to the look of our skin. If it's one thing that gets in the way of good skin, it's the sun, or more accurately, too much sun. Over-exposure to sun can result in freckles and blemishes, a darkening of the skin and premature wrinkles. Too much sun can cause skin to burn, flake and turn rough. Worse, it can cause skin cancer.
Ways to protect our skin from too much sun:
Stay out of the sun when it's at its strongest,in this part of the world it could mean anytime from 11am to 6pm and not just noon to 3pm.
Don't be shy to use an umbrella when out in the sun.An umbrella gives a minimum protection of SPF5. However,UV rays from the sun can still penetrate through thick glass and bounce off concrete flooring so the best solution is to stay indoors when the sun is at its peak
Most importantly, always wear sun protection. Call it sun lotion, sunscreen or sunblock but if it comes with an SPF, it's sun protection all right.
Wearing sun protection is simple, the question(s) is: when, what, how and how much.
WHEN. Sun protection should be applied at least half an hour before stepping out of your house, and re-applied every 2-3 hours. Now what happens when you're not just outdoors but at the pool or beach? Then you need to slap on your sun protection every time you come out of the water, as water washes away any kind of sunscreen be it lotion, gel or cream. Further on, we will explore how much sunscreen to use.
WHAT.Sun protection can take many forms. There are creams, gels and lotions to apply, even pills to ingest. But first, we need to understand what sun protection, or Sun Protection Factor (SPF), means. The simplest way is to do some mental arithmetic. If you take 20 minutes under the sun to before you get sunburned (your skin turns red and is painful to the touch), then SPF 15 will give you 300 (20x15) minutes of sun protection; after that you have to reapply your sun protection or get out of the sun in order not to get sunburned. Most Asians take about 20 minutes to get sunburned, so you just need to remember "20" and then multiply it to whatever SPF number is stated on a product. We recommend using Vaseline Healthy White SPF 24 body lotion – not only does it have a high rating of SPF 24 and PA++, it has Vitamin B3 which helps you achieve fair, even-toned and radiant skin.
HOW. >Sunscreen should be applied wherever the skin is exposed. Unless you're covered from head to foot, you definitely need to apply it not just on your face, especially the nose, but also the exposed parts of your body including your arms and legs; don't neglect the back of your hands, the front of your feet and ears, as these are also exposed.
HOW MUCH. A thin layer will do. Vaseline Healthy White SPF 24 body lotion doubles up as a light moisturizer with adequate sun protection, making it easy to apply all over your body. – Generally, use about six tablespoons full of lotion. If your sunscreen lasts more than three months, you are not using enough.
5 SUN FACTS
1. The sun is our friend; don't shun it. The responsibility is on us to protect ourselves from too much sun.
2. Keep yourself hydrated. Drink lots of water – even before you feel thirsty.
3. Eyes need protection, too, so don't forget your sunglasses.
4. Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin, and it comes free! Something our body produces with the help of the sun, Vitamin D is important for developing and maintaining strong bones and avoiding osteoporosis in future.
