Sun Savvy

Protect your epidermis (skin!)! The average adult has a skin surface area of between 8-11 sq.ft., weighing in at roughly 15 pounds. Wellness encompasses caring for the WHOLE body inside and out. Are you caring for your skin? The SoCal sun is heating up, requiring an extra dose of protection. Preventing skin damage and wrinkles (and cancer) is much better than facing the scary plastic and Botox alternatives.

More than 90% of all skin cancers are caused by sun exposure and sunscreens are your first line of defense against cancer. The FDA originally drafted its guidelines for sunscreen in 1978, updating them in 2007 and still have not finalized the guidelines (wouldn’t we be fired if it took us 4 years to finish a project at work?), citing more research is needed. Nearly 1 in 8 sunscreens does not block UVA rays . New FDA labels will make labels clearer for consumers how effective a sunscreen is against both UVB and UVA rays.

There’s a non-profit group called the Environmental Working Group (EWG) that is a slightly more extreme in their stances than the FDA on sunscreen contents, in my humble opinion. EWG tests sunscreen contents for chemicals they believe to be dangerous (a note: that some of their claims are not fully substantiated outside by the science & medical community at large). EWG does provide a guideline to sunscreens if you’re trying to select one that works well for your skin type with minimal chemicals.

SPF is a measurement of UVB. The FDA may limit how high manufacturers can market their SPF number. A good rule of thumb is to apply a higher SPF – like an SPF 50 or higher – just as you would a sunscreen with a SPF 30-45. The higher SPFs are more of a marketing ploy than additional assurance.

My sun personal arsenal: Alba lip balm, SPF 25; Aveeno Positively Ageless Enviroblock SPF 55; Eucerin Everyday Protection Face Lotion, SPF 30.

Love the spray sunscreen versions? Most received a horrid ratings from the EWG because of added chemical content necessary for the spray versions. I’ve swapped out my sprays for lotions (besides, you can ask a cute person to help you apply, right?). One of my other new favorites is La Roche-Posay Anthelios 40 Sunscreen Cream, available online or at CVS drugstores. A few less chemicals can never be a bad thing, right?

And if you’re looking to keep the cost down once you’ve picked the sunscreens you like check out bulk buying options online at Amazon or similar retailers.