Health For Success

Play it safe in the sun. Maintain your skin's natural health while out in the sun. Use sunscreen over all your body or spot-protect sun-sensitive areas such as ears, nose, scalp, and cheeks. Apply it every morning or before exposure to sunlight. Apply it fifteen minutes before going out in the sun and be generous with its application.

Be sure to wear other forms of sun protection whenever appropriate. Wear sun glasses with UVA (and UVB) protection and cover any exposed areas of skin as is practical. Don't stay too long in the heat as it causes your body to overheat. Know that some medications make you more sun and heat-sensitive.

Be kind to yourself.

Effective protection against harmful effects of the sun is now more critical than ever before. More people are living in high-sunshine areas and are engaged in more outdoor recreational activities than ever before.

The incidence of skin cancer has risen steadily in the second half of the 20th Century. Your sun block must create a protective barrier to shield you skin from the harmful effects of the sun.

The consequences of sun worshipping have become more apparent in recent years: wrinkles, blotchy complexion, leathery skin, and skin cancer. Directly exposing the skin to the sun's ultraviolet and infrared rays promotes free radicals, which degrade cell structures. Today there is a clear need to protect your skin from overexposure.

HOW SUNSCREEN SHOULD PROTECT YOUR SKIN

This is what your sunscreen should do for you.

Your sunscreen should use six scientifically proven methods to provide the broadest spectrum of protection against the sun.

1. UVA-UVB ABSORPTION
Your sunscreen should contain ingredients that absorb the sun's damaging UV radiant energy, such as octyl methoxy cinnamate and zinc oxide. It should also absorb damaging rays that would normally go directly to your skin.

2. HEAT DISPERSION
Sunscreen formula should also disperse the sun's energy by using particles that scatter light and reduce heat buildup. These particles should be micro-sized groupings of zinc oxide molecules that spread across the skin surface.

3. INFRARED RADIATION ABSORPTION
The coral seaweed, Corallina officinalis, is a porous vegetable bioceramic with the unique ability to absorb harmful infrared radiation. It minimizes heat buildup, reduces heat-generated free radicals, and helps keep the skin cool.

4. FREE-RADICAL PROTECTION
All of the sun's UVA, UVB, and IR rays generate damaging free radicals that result in premature aging and wrinkling. Your sunscreen should contain natural herbal extracts that help to protect the lipid-rich cell membranes from oxidation and free-radical damage.

5. LIPOSOME DELIVERY SYSTEM
Sunscreen should contain microscopic liposomes that periodically release their contents directly into the skin. Liposomes are minute sacs or bags of phospholipids containing botanical extracts of aloe vera, green tea, green coffee, and grape seed extract.

6. RESTORATIVE PROPERTIES
Sunscreen should contain emollients that moisten, soften, and retard premature skin aging. Herbal ingredients containing natural vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, known to be effective in promoting healthy skin, should be included.

Sun Protection Factor (SPF) SPF 15 & 30 are the recognized ways to identify sunscreens. SPF 15 is for people who tan easily and quickly, or are exposed to sun for a moderate amount of time. 30+ SPF is for fair-skinned people and those who are out in the sun for extended periods of time.

A higher SPF number doesn't mean a higher degree of UV protection: it means protection from the sun for a longer period of time.

Please contact me for more information kflh@prescotts-inc.com