In yesterday’s post, I talked about some common misinformation consistently circulated by industry leaders about skin cancer and its connections to the sun. We concluded with the following recommendations:
Get sun exposure — intentionally and in moderate doses. Take steps to protect yourself safely when you’ve had enough. And take action to increase your skin’s ability to protect itself, even during sun exposure.
In this post, I’d like to dig more deeply into the practical ways we can accomplish these goals.
1. Get Sun Exposure — Intentionally and in Moderate Doses
Sun exposure is good — in moderation. Those with the fairest skin also produce vitamin D most readily, and don’t need as much sun. Those with the darkest skin, who rarely or never burn, also require the most sun in order to produce the vitamin D their bodies need.
This comes down, in large part, to common sense. Our bodies have built-in mechanisms for telling us enough is enough. Burning = not good. (I personally believe that tanning — as it happens naturally — is healthy. I believe it’s a protective mechanism provided to help us avoid burning. I know everyone’s skin is different and we all reach the level of “burn” at different rates, but it has been my family’s experience that getting gradual sun exposure over a season means we rarely burn, while getting one sudden all-day sun exposure tends to result in sunburn.)
Yesterday I mentioned some differences between UVA and UVB radiation; keep these in mind as you get your sunlight. Being outside is healthier and better than sunning through a window. Midday sun (again — in moderate doses!) is better than early-morning or later-in-the-evening sun. And considerable cloud cover has a similar effect as a window, meaning a clear day is better than an overcast one.
The very fair-skinned may max out at 15-20 minutes. For those with darker, less-inclined-to-burn skin, several hours may be beneficial. Watch your body’s signs!
(And on a sort-of-side note: Don’t wash overly much. Overly clean skin, that’s had all the natural oils washed off, can’t produce vitamin D effectively.)
2. Protect Yourself Safely When You’ve Had Enough
Sometimes you’ll be outdoors for far longer than the time needed to derive the benefits of sun exposure. Long enough to be damaging to your skin under full exposure. But we read all that scary stuff about sunblock, so what do we do?
The ideal first option is natural barriers. Sit in the shade. Wear a wide-brimmed hat. And cover your skin. Something like the sun-protective clothing Coolibar sells is excellent. (As an added benefit, much of their clothing is effective as swimwear, so you can swim and protect your skin. And it happens to be an excellent source for highly modest swimwear, as a side benefit.)
That isn’t always practical or sufficient, though, so we need another option. In this case, wear sunblock, but choose it carefully. The safest option is a purely barrier form of sunblock (like zinc oxide). It doesn’t look very pretty, but it’s effective. You want non-nano zinc, though. (The nano variety has such tiny particles that they get places they shouldn’t and might not be healthy or safe.) Or choose a sunblock that rates well in the Skin Deep Database. (Lower numbers are better. Zero is the best rating.)
And whatever you choose, be sure it blocks UVB and UVA rays. (Some only block UVB and…yes, I’m beating a dead horse here: that largely misses the point. It also increases the likelihood you’ll be oblivious to the damage. UVB rays, ‘though not as deeply damaging, are quicker to cause sunburn. Filtering them out while leaving the UVA rays accessible is a little like throwing away the smoke detector; the warning signal is gone.)
3. Increase Your Skin’s Ability to Protect Itself.
One of the best ways to protect your skin is to nourish it from the inside out. That probably sounds a little cliche, but it’s true.
Stay hydrated. Dehydrated skin burns more readily, so be sure you’re drinking plenty of water. (Of course, this is healthy anyway, especially if you’re going to be sweating a lot!)
Get plenty of healthy fats in your diet, to ensure your skin can moisturize itself appropriately.
When you’re going to be in the sun, moisturize from the outside, as well. Coconut oil is especially beneficial, because it’s naturally a mild sunscreen.
Get plenty of antioxidants in your diet. Antioxidants help prevent cell damage, so we want to make sure our bodies have plenty of them available to do their job in/on our skin when we’re out in the sun.
What’s your favorite sun-protective gear? Leave a comment and let us know about it!
Legally necessary disclaimer: None of these statements have been evaluated or approved by the FDA. I am not a medical practitioner and nothing here should be construed as treating, preventing, curing, or diagnosing any illness. This post is for educational purposes only, and I encourage you to enlist the services of your preferred medical practitioner.
Modli has a great selection of rashguards to protects against both chafing and the harsh sunrays at the beach. And you’re right, they do have the added benefit of being modest as well 🙂
Good to know! Thanks for sharing. 🙂