Your skin is also your body’s first defense against pollution, cold, heat and disease. When you take care of it, you’re rewarded with skin that is healthy and vibrant. One of the keys to taking care of it is sun safety.
The sun’s rays provide warmth and light that keep us alive and thriving. But some of the rays can be dangerous. Both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays can damage your skin’s DNA, potentially leading to skin cancer. Your skin signals the damage by darkening (tanning) or turning red (burning). Both tanning and burning have been linked to skin cancer.
Being good to your skin starts with appreciating your natural skin tone, not endangering your health by trying to change it. Tanning not only can cause cancer, but can drain your skin of its youthful properties. It restricts the replenishment of collagen and breaks down the structures that maintain your skin’s firmness. Tanning accelerates the signs of aging, including wrinkles, leathering and fine lines. Whether you are outdoors or indoors at a tanning salon, tanning should be avoided at all costs.
Photoaging is the term for the signs of aging, such as wrinkles, age spots, sagging skin, and more prominent blood vessels that are caused by sun damage. You don’t have to be a diehard tanner to fall prey to photoaging. The effects of sun exposure keep adding up over the years.
Protecting your skin doesn’t need to take a lot of time and effort. Simple things like rescheduling certain activities can make the difference between skin that is sun damaged and skin that looks fresh and young.
