GET FREE SAMPLES

sign up for our newsletter to get free sample alerts

5 Things You Never Knew About Sun Protection

Think slathering on sunscreen is enough? Think again
Photo 4/5
Fact: Even if you're not getting a tan, the sun is aging your skin.
There are two kinds of UV rays: UVA and UVB. B rays are the "burning" rays that fry your skin. A rays are the "aging" rays that cause wrinkles and sun spots. So even if your skin isn't tanned (or red), it's accumulating damage from UVA rays.

Here's the really interesting part: "UVA rays are the same all year round," says Graf. That means even when it's cloudy in January, UVA rays are wrinkling your skin. The moral of the story: wear sunscreen every day, all year long. Graf likes Glytone Sunscreen Lotion SPF 40, $32, which give broad spectrum protection with both chemical and physical SPF ingredients.

Photo 5/5
Fact: You don't need sun exposure to get Vitamin D.
We hear the vitamin D excuse all of the time. A good friend insists she doesn't need SPF for our 45-minute runs because she's "getting her vitamin D for the day." Dr. Graf's advice: take a supplement.

"Vitamin D is a hormone, and it's important," says Graf. "But you can get it through food or take it as a supplement. And get tested to see if you're vitamin D deficient before you take action."

Last week, I sat down with New York City dermatologist Jeannette Graf, MD, to talk skin -- specifically about how to keep skin from looking like a wrinkly, well-used handbag. Graf had some fascinating things to say about retinols and the effect sleep has on skin, but the presentation took an interesting turn when she talked about sun protection. I consider myself something of an SPF expert, but some of the things she had to say really blew me away.

If you don't change the way you protect yourself from the summer after reading this, we really need to talk.
BY DAWN DAVIS | JUN 25, 2013 | SHARES
VIEW COMMENTS
Full Site | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy
TotalBeauty is a property of Evolve Media Holdings, LLC. © 2024 All Rights Reserved. | Affiliate Disclosure: Evolve Media Holdings, LLC, and its owned and operated subsidiaries may receive a small commission from the proceeds of any product(s) sold through affiliate and direct partner links.