The Sun and Your Skin

Initial thoughts when you think of summer sun?

Short shorts. Outdoor work outs. Sunshine. Cottage days.

You probably don't initially think of the damages that come along with your favourite warm season. But they are very real… and will last a lifetime without the right care.

So lets talk about the sun and your skin shall we…. 

The sun is great for us.

Our hormones need vitamin D to regulate our mood. In fact in less sun shinning months I often speak about vitamin D as one of the most important vitamins to be taking. But regardless of all of the sunny benefits, the rays can be pretty harmful as most of us know. We know sunscreen is necessary to prevent skin cancer, sun burns = bad and we are always told to monitor sun spots and growing freckles, but to what extent do we really need to protect our skin and what are the most important things to focus on….

Too much information and too little time to understand it all, so here you have it. I've broken it down for you!

The key to remember: When you start protecting yourself you can actually stop the damage and reverse some of the already affected skin. 

Sounds fantastic right!? 

With this in mind, here are my ten tips to properly paying attention and caring for your skin. 

1. Visit your dermatologist once a year.

This is super important because that way your derm can monitor any skin irregularirties over time. TIP: If you are looking for a dermatologist near you check with a local spa or skin care professional you trust who can recommend someone.

2. Go for facials.

Facials will help you in monitoring your skin and will allow a professional to look and see what kind of sun damage you may be facing. Local express facial bars are popping up around major cities like Blitz Facial Bar in Toronto, Canada. Check for one near you!

3. Exfoliate your skin on the regular. 

Keep your skin layers fresh washing away dead cells for a full body glow.

My fave: Kopari Coconut Crush Scrub

4. Take a Skin, Hair and Nail supplement to help prevent and stop skin damange.

A supplement for S,H & N can change your entire skin care routine by feeding your skin from the inside out with ingredients like biotin and vitamin c.

My Fave: Vital Proteins Beauty Boost Capsuls

5. Attack brown spots with products specific to signs of sun damage.

Using products specific to sun damage, targeting fine lines and dark spots is a sure fire way to keep the skin looking youthful. Even if you don't have sun damage spots, using the products in a preventative way is a very smart move long term. 

My Fave: Jouviance Restructive Glyco Laser 5 Soft Peel

6. Wear a night serum that rebuilds skin cells and deminishes fine lines.

If you are new to night serums your whole life may just change. Using night serums makes a big difference in your skins rebuilding process that happens when you sleep. Try it out and wake up glowing.

My Fave: Drunk Elephant T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Night Serum

7. Use a make-up with SPF in your daily beauty routine.

Using daily SPF (even for cloudy days) on your face will make drastic impacts long term.

My Fave: Dior Nude BB Creme SPF 30

8. Wear sunscreen all over.

This one we all know, but wearing sunscreen on the regular is the key to preventing skin cancer and burns leading to sun damage.

My Fave: Ombrelle Dry Mist SPF 30

9. Check for changes in sun damage once a month and adjust your products accordingly.

Common signs of sun damage forming; Wrinkles, Fine lines, Discoloration of the skin. The more you notice these popping up the more you may need to consider seeing someone about your skin care routine. It is not always just stress and time that is destroying your youthful glow...

10. Check for melanoma.

It is very important to keep track of your moles yourself before even seeing the dermatologist. Here are the common signs of melanoma from Cancer.org 

The ABCDE rule!

• A is for Asymmetry: One half of a mole or birthmark does not match the other.

• B is for Border: The edges are irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred.

• C is for Color: The color is not the same all over and may include different shades of brown or black, or sometimes with patches of pink, red, white, or blue.

• D is for Diameter: The spot is larger than 6 millimeters across (about ¼ inch – the size of a pencil eraser), although melanomas can sometimes be smaller than this.

• E is for Evolving: The mole is changing in size, shape, or color.

Other warning signs are

• A sore that doesn’t heal

• Spread of pigment from the border of a spot into surrounding skin

• Redness or a new swelling beyond the border of the mole

• Change in sensation, such as itchiness, tenderness, or pain

• Change in the surface of a mole – scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or the appearance of a lump or bump  

The most important thing is that you are constantly monitoring any change in skin colour and moles. You also need to always hydrate, feed your body healthy wholesome foods and get enough sleep. These are very important components to healing and preventing sundamge. 

Enjoy the summer with peace of mind and smarts! Your body will thank you.