By Dr. Chau Phan, Pharmacist and owner of Humaniti Beauty and Pleasant Care Pharmacy
Often, I refer to other articles I’ve written for my blog over the years, and this article is no exception. Before I get into specifics with respect to protecting your skin while you have fun this summer, let me provide you with some parallels between how that protection is alike or different in the two seasons with the most contrast. The comparison table I’m providing here is quoting from my “Protecting Your Skin in Winter” article posted in February of this year:
Other things you need to know
In researching this article, I discovered some things you might also find important in keeping your skin healthy and beautiful this summer:
In researching this article, I discovered some things you might also find important in keeping your skin healthy and beautiful this summer:
- If you’re wearing lipstick, go for darker shades – they attract fewer UV rays. Consider wearing lipstick that contains SPF or applying conditioner with antioxidants and SPF under your lip color.
- Loosely fitting, unbleached cotton clothes, high-luster polyester, thin satiny silk, darker colors and tight weaves or knits fend off the sun’s rays and help minimize sweating.
- Ensure that your sunscreen is water-resistant (no such thing as “waterproof”). The label will indicate how many minutes (40 or 80) it will keep the sunscreen on your skin while you are in the water.
- Also check that your sunscreen is labeled “broad-spectrum protection” to guard against premature aging, as well as skin cancer.
- Try to avoid being in the sun between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., and keep babies younger than six months old out of the sun altogether. (And, for the rest, remember to apply sunscreen and cover up.)
- Stay away from tanning products, booths and pills.
- Apply moisturizer right after you shower or bathe to keep water in your skin.
- Stay out of hot tubs and whirlpools if you’re uncertain as to their acidity and chlorine levels. “Hot tub folliculitis” occurs when your follicles get infected.
A final word on recent concerns about sunscreen
You may have heard about a study reported on NBC News in early May of this year. NBC reported (in an article in the Health News section of nbcnews.com): “In a Food and Drug Administration experiment, researchers determined that far higher levels of these ingredients are absorbed into people’s systems than the amount considered benign enough to avoid safety testing – in some cases as much as 40 times higher than the threshold amount…The four ingredients in question are avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene and ecamsule.”
As we wait for the results of the studies being conducted, I recommend that you continue to safeguard your skin from harmful radiation. If you are worried about the safety of the ingredients, you should know that two sun-blocking chemicals in some sunscreens (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) have been declared safe by the FDA. If you don’t like the white film they leave behind, you can always use other measures such as wearing protective clothing and / or staying in the shade or inside.
In the meantime, remember that having fun and protecting your body’s most important immune defense – your skin – are not mutually exclusive. Happy Summer, everyone!
Several of the products on the humanitibeauty.com site may be just what you need to follow my recommendations in this article. If you would like more information about Humaniti Beauty’s products or about me, you can contact me at info@humanitibeauty.com or call me at 510.200.9984.
List of sources for this article
Carroll, Linda. “Sunscreens may enter bloodstream, but health effect unknown, study finds”. Published in the Health News section of the NBC website by NBC Universal on May 6, 2019. Available online at: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/sunscreens-may-enter-bloodstream-health-effect-unknown-study-finds-n1002351.
“FDA tightens regulation of over-the-counter sunscreen products”. Published in the Health News section of the NBC website by NBC Universal on February 21, 2019. Available online at: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/cancer/fda-tightens-regulation-over-counter-sunscreen-products-n974271.
“Have a Sun-safe Summer”. The website of the American Cancer Society. Published by the American Cancer Society on May 21, 2019. Available online at: https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/stay-sun-safe-this-summer.html.
Matta, Murali K., PhD, Susterzeel, Robbert, MD, PhD, MPH, Pilli, Nageswara R., PhD, et al. “Effect of Sunscreen Application under Maximal Use Conditions on Plasma Concentration of Sunscreen Active Ingredients: A Randomized Clinical Trial”. Published on the JAMA Network website on May 6, 2019 by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Available online at: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2733085?guestAccessKey=e1ad4492-fe70-4f53-970d-d63bfa1cdccd&utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=05062019.
“12 summer skin problems you can prevent”. The website of the American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD). Available online at: https://www.aad.org/public/skin-hair-nails/skin-care/summer-skin-problems.
Zamora, Dulce. “How Your Skin Can Survive Summer”. The website of WebMD. Published by WebMD LLC. Article reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD, and available online at: https://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/how-your-skin-can-survive-summer#3.