by Jennifer McKinley, Founder, COR Silver Skincare
Sunshine is awesome – it lightens the mood and, in moderation, helps your body produce vitamin D.
But as with almost any good thing, you can get too much sunshine. And that's not good for your skin.
UV rays from the sun are a form of radiation. Sunburn is the thing that should give us a clear sign our skin doesn't handle overexposure very well. But smaller amounts of UV exposure over the long-term also add up. UV radiation weakens the skin's immune system, which can contribute to the development of melanoma and other types of skin cancer.
And in terms of appearance, UV rays gradually damage the elastin and collagen in our skin. Healthy elastin fibers provide skin with both its firmness and its ability to stretch. More sun equals more wrinkles and fine lines.
A research study of identical twins found that sun exposure was the number one factor that made one twin look older than the other!
So – for healthy skin, manage your sun exposure!
- Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen. An SPF rating of 15 or higher is what the U.S. FDA recommends. (Broad-spectrum protects against both UVA and UVB rays.) Lip balm with SPF protection is also important.
- Avoid the direct mid-day sun, when it's at its strongest.
- Be aware that winter sun is just as damaging as summer sun.
- Of course wearing a hat with a brim can help shield your face as well.
- Antioxidants help your skin protect itself. Both eating antioxidant-rich foods (here's a good list) and using topical antioxidants (we put them in COR skincare products) are valuable.
Jen McKinley created COR in 2008 to revitalize her sun-damaged and breakout-prone skin.
