Summer Is Ending - But The Need To Protect Our Skin From UV Radiation Is Still Here

Sun Can Damage Our Skin Even During Colder Months

Summer is coming to an end, which can lead us to erroneously assume we don’t need to protect our skin so vigorously, as there will be less sunny days now. So we at H&B decided to make this blog as a reminder- sensitive skin, in particular cancer patients’ skin, needs protection thought the year.

Summer is almost done, but this doesn’t mean that the summer-related skin-care challenges are over. For those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere, we can even say that the autumn is here. You can put away your swimsuits and beach-trunks, but don’t make the hasty mistake of packing away your sunscreen. Truth be told, the UV index does get lower in the winter than it is during the summer, but depending on where you live, there may only be a few months of the year when you probably could do without sun protection. We usually link sunburns with summer vacations, so it’s easy to assume that our skin isn’t at risk when the sky is cloudy and there’s snow on the ground. Nevertheless, this is a wrong premise – we can still be exposed to possibly hazardous levels of UV radiation throughout fall and winter. It’s best to use sunscreen year-round if you plan on spending time outside, especially in snowy scenes, because sun bounces of white and shiny surfaces. 

Sun Can Damage Our Skin- But We Also Need To Be Careful With The Cosmetics We Use To Protect It

When you think about your skin in summer, you might envision it being bronzed, smooth and gleaming, but the reality can be slightly different as you count in the risk of sweat, sunburn and premature aging due to the sunny conditions. This might lead you to think you need to completely overhaul your winter skincare routine, bringing in an array of new products to amend the problems you presently encounter.

Ingredients used to make consumer products have come under intense scrutiny for their potential impacts on human health as well as on the environment. This is in part fueled by the rise in information on the Internet about the chemicals in consumer products, including cosmetics.

So it's essential you take care of it, especially during the summertime when UV levels can wreak havoc on exposed skin. While those killer rays may feel sensational, the effects of sun exposure may not be as agreeable over time. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), one in five Americans will develop some form of skin cancer during their lifetime.

To stay on the safe side, use only products from companies that have their buyer’s health high on the list of priorities. Check out H&B’s skin-care product palette here.

Too Much Sun Can Damage Our Skin- Yet We Need It To Stay Healthy, Too

Dr. Shyamali Singhal, surgical oncologist and founder of H&B, says that too much sun is proven to be bad for our skin. Not only can we get tanned as we want to, but also overexposure to sun rays can lead to untimely aging of the skin. But how do you know how long you can stay in the sun? You can't see or feel UV light, so it's difficult to know how strong it is and what effect it will have. Summer heat isn't a good indicator here because UV radiation might also be present when it's cold outside. This is because the heat generated by the sun doesn't come from UV light, but is mostly transferred to Earth’s surface by infrared light in the sun’s rays. Our skin contains a pigment called melanin and too much exposure to the sun causes more melanin to be produced. This is why a prolonged stay under the direct sun can cause a change in your skin color or even tanning. This is also why sunscreens are recommended irrespective of your skin type.

Make Sure To Use “Clean” Cosmetics, Free Of Any Potentially Harmful Chemicals

Cosmetics cover a wide range of products. Some of these can cause health problems in some people, cancer patients especially because many cancers and cancer treatments are known to cause the skin to become more sensitive. These types of problems are usually short-term and go away if the use of the product is stopped.

Whether cosmetics or certain ingredients in them cause more subtle or long-term health problems is not entirely clear. Uncertainty exists because many products and ingredients have not been tested thoroughly. Even when ingredients in cosmetics have been tested, the results may not always be simple or clear cut. For example, some ingredients in cosmetics have been found to be toxic in large amounts (or at high concentrations). But the amounts of these ingredients used in cosmetics are typically much lower than what caused ill effects in studies. Take note, that the way that some ingredient is used in a cosmetic may differ from the way it was used in the tests. Also, there is often very little information about what ingredients are absorbed into the body (and how much they are absorbed) when applied to the skin during actual product use. 

Don’t Be Afraid Of The Sun- Just Mindful When And How You Expose Your Skin To It

Do not fear the sun as it is a great mood enhancer. Sunlight helps us produce more serotonin – a mood-boosting hormone. That’s exactly why days of no sun during winters can make you feel low. Just make sure you balance the outdoor activities with a solid skincare regimen and protect yourself from the harmful impact of sun rays. Eating a diet high in antioxidants, such as beta-carotene-rich carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, and spinach; cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, and turnips; and citrus fruits. Include in your diet foods high in vitamin E. A  diet rich in vitamin E may shield your skin against harm done by UV rays.  Good food sources of vitamin E are asparagus, green leafy vegetables, raw nuts, and organic, cold-pressed vegetable oils.