Tag Archives: Sunscreen

Heliocare

It’s cold and it’s snowy and I’m talking sun protection. Why?

Damaging UVA rays are around all year. They trigger the release of free radicals and can age your skin significantly. Sunscreen protects your skin but most people don’t apply during cold or cloudy weather or they don’t apply enough, miss spots or fail to reapply. That’s where a little insurance can come in handy. In addition to your usual topical sunscreen containing at least SPF 30 I highly recommend you get some added protection like Heliocare, a natural anti-aging oral supplement with antioxidant effects on the skin. Antioxidants help eliminate free radicals before they have a chance to do damage. Heliocare contains Polypodium leucotomos, an antioxidant extract shown to help maintain the skin’s ability to protect itself against sun-related effects and aging. It helps eliminate free radicals produced by sun exposure. Less free radicals means younger, healthier skin.

Heliocare, $29.99 at  drugstores nationwide and walgreens.com.

 

Healthy Skin is In!

Today is my birthday! I woke up to a nice surprise–my bedroom blanketed with balloons and the most beautiful handmade cards, courtesy of my children. I’m thankful for the gorgeous day because I plan on spending lots of time outdoors, first an early morning run, and later a picnic lunch with my husband. I’ll definitely be wearing sunscreen–I don’t want to be one of the 50,000 Americans diagnosed with Melanoma this year!

I bring this up because May 6th is also Melanoma Monday, a day dedicated to raise awareness of all types of skin cancer,  melanoma being the most serious. Often appearing as as a new mole or a change in size, shape or color of an existing mole, when found in its early stages the chances of recovery are very good. When not found early, it can grow deeper into the skin and spread to other parts of the body, making it much more difficult to treat.

To keep yourself safe:

  1. Limit your sun exposure, especially at the peak hours of 10:00am to 2:00pm.
  2. Use more sunscreen than you think you need. The average adult needs a shot-glass full for the body plus an additional 2/3 a teaspoon for the face and neck. Reapply every 2 hours and immediately after swimming.
  3. Use sunscreen every day, even when cloudy.
  4. Never use a tanning bed. Indoor booths have a proven causal link to skin cancer.
  5. Do a skin-check self exam every 6-8 weeks to hunt down suspicious moles.
  6. Get a yearly head-to-toe skin exam by your dermatologist.
  7. Toss sunscreen products that are more than 24 months old or if the scent and/or texture seem off.
  8. Choose sunscreen with broad spectrum protection (protection from both the UVA and UVB rays). Three to try: Mustela Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ Mineral Sunscreen LotionNeutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF30 or Banana Boat Sport Performance Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Lotion SPF50.

Photo courtesy of Pinterest.