In addition to monitoring your skin for suspicious moles and changes in
color and thickness, it’s important to prevent skin damage in the first place.
The best way to do this is by shielding yourself from the sun. Here are a few
tips:
Avoid the sun, especially
between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Staying away from direct rays will
prevent burning—and skin damage.
Apply—and reapply—a
broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher. Look for products with the
ingredients Parsol 1789, Titanium Dioxide, or Zinc Oxide, which provide
protection from both the UVA rays that age the skin and the UVB rays that
burn it.
Wear sunscreen daily—even on
cold and cloudy days—and allow it 20 minutes to sink in before leaving the
house. Don’t forget small, sensitive areas such as your lips and ears.
Wear high-quality shades.
Those that offer 100% UV blockage are best at preventing problems such as
cataracts, as well as crow’s feet.
For a sun-kissed look, use a
sunless-tanning cream or spray. Sunscreen manufacturers such as Banana
Boat, Coppertone, and Neutrogena offer sunless tanners at most drugstores.
Look for a variety that offers additional sun protection as well as a
healthy glow.
Make friends with
wide-brimmed hats. The top of your head gets sunburned, too!
All in all, making sun protection a daily habit will make you look—and
feel—younger.