At Hollywood Dermatology and Cosmetic Specialists, we are well aware of the time South Floridians spend in the sun each and every day. While getting in a regular dose of Vitamin D is always encouraged, it is still important for patients to take care of protecting their skin from the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays.
Understanding SPF numbers
When it comes to wearing sunscreen, many of our patients are confused as to how SPF numbers work. In most situations, the higher the SPF number, the better the protection. However, each sunscreen and sunblock has various factors that also impact how they offer protection, and the patient’s own skin color can also impact the results. For example, a fair skinned patient spending two hours in the sun would likely burn much more than an ethnic patient with dark skin. This is because of the melanin already present in the patient’s skin. The higher the melanin, the longer it will take for their skin to become burned when spending time outdoors.
However, protecting the skin from sunburn is critical to greatly reducing the risk of developing skin cancer during one’s lifetime. By applying high SPF sunblock, patients can protect their skin while outside. Patients should also pay close attention to using a broad spectrum sunscreen, which protects the skin from both types of radiation, including UVA and UVB rays. Patients should ask their dermatologist how to properly apply the sunscreen on the body to increase effectiveness, and to ask about how often it should be reapplied during certain activities such as sports and swimming.
Wearing skin protection every day is important!
It is essential that patients apply sunscreen every day on all the exposed areas of the skin, including the face. This ensures that the skin is protected even during those short times outdoors, such as walking to the car before and after work or while running errands. Talk to the team at Hollywood Dermatology and Cosmetic Specialists to decide the best product to use for daily applications.
Learn from our dermatological team how to care for your skin while in the great outdoors!
Patients in the area of South Florida are welcome to book a consultation visit with the team at Hollywood Dermatology and Cosmetic Specialists to determine the best way to protect the skin from the Florida sun. Contact the primary line at (954) 961-1200 today and schedule an appointment at any one of our seven locations in South Florida. We welcome new and existing patients seeking quality skin care solutions.
