It might come as a surprise when someone asks you to wear sunblock during the season that makes you look pasty pale.  What some of you may not know is that while the sun may not feel as if its brilliant warm rays are showering you with Vitamin D, its damage is, however, being accumulated.  Many tend to expose their skin for longer periods of time throughout the cold season in effort to tan or cuddle up to the heat from the otherwise chilly weather. This longer exposure, however, is unsafe because for many who choose to sunbathe and forget the sunscreen, bare a longer period of time under the sun’s dangerous rays. Over time, the combined ultraviolet rays that are found in sunlight, UVB and UVA, mark their territory on your skin and occasionally leave permanent marks and a not-so-friendly reminder.  Skin cancer and wrongful aging are notable consequences experienced by those who undergo unprotected skin exposure which is why sunblock is essential to conserving your health and beauty.

While UVA rays do not physically burn, they are responsible for aging.  Their longer wavelengths (400-320 nm) can cause more serious damage as they reach further into the skin, consequently affecting the dermis.  Unfortunately for many, this ray is accountable for many subjects experiencing severe collagen and elasticity loss, hypopigmentation (white spots and dots), hyperpigmentation (large brown spots) , and worse- skin cancer.  The other culprit responsible for inducing a more physical kind of pain is the UVB ray.  These rays will make sure you invest in aloe vera after its damage has been done.  Clearly, UVB rays burn and know no gender.  Dr. Brandt recommends wearing sunscreen every two to three hours when outside.  Regardless of your daily activity, whether playing tennis or going for a short walk, you will need to protect yourself with a minimum of 30 SPF like Dr. Brandt’s own UVA and UVB protected Sunblock.

Whichever sunblock you decide to use, make it part of your daily regimen as you would brushing your teeth.  Like the old saying goes, if it’s not broken don’t fix it.  If you heed my advice, you won’t have to.