Houston Medical Spa

Choosing the Right Sunscreen for You

The sun's light is actually composed of three types of damaging rays: UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVC is mostly absorbed by the ozone layer of the atmosphere, but our skin is daily bombarded with the detrimental effects of UVA and UVB rays. Therefore, you may want to consider wearing a sunscreen to protect you from the sun's harm.

UVA and UVB Protection

Doctors and scientists once thought that only UVB rays were damaging. This is because they affect the topmost layer of skin, which gives us the visible signs of sun exposure, such as sunburns. However, UVA rays are actually worse for you than their counterparts. UVA rays are able to penetrate much deeper through your skin, and can even come through glass and light clothing to hurt our bodies.

In the past, because UVB was generally considered the “bad” ray, sunscreen only protected our skin from UVB rays, and allowed the UVA to soak into our skin. Nevertheless, UVA rays cause mutations that lead to skin cancer. Thus, now most sunscreens absorb or reflect both types of rays so that our skin is not exposed to either. It is a good idea to check the label of your sunscreen to make sure it protects from both types of rays.

Additives

There are a number of things that sunscreen companies add to their lotions to help particular skin types. Aloe vera is a popular ingredient because it is highly moisturizing. People with dry or already sunburned skin may want to consider sunscreen with aloe because it can help their skin heal.

For those of us who are allergic to dyes and scents, you may want to think about using sunscreen that is approved for babies. Baby suntan lotion tends to contain less fragrance and other additives that can trigger allergic reactions.

If you are going camping, you might want to use sunscreen that has added bug protection. Also, for the water babies, there are waterproof screens for you. Lastly, for runners and other people that might sweat off their sunscreen, you can get a lotion that is sweat proof.

Contact Us

Although you may be extremely careful about applying sunscreen, your skin can still show the effects of age. For more information on sunscreen and several processes you can undergo to reveal your younger, fresher skin, contact Houston Dermagenix Medical Spa today at 713-622-3376.