While you’re enjoying everything under the sun this summer, your skin is not. It’s faced with a daily assault of damaging UV rays, which bring a host of premature aging and pre-cancer issues, like brown spots on skin, dry flakes, moles and burns. Of course, we can’t say this enough—sunscreen is your weapon against UV rays. But there are some other ways to keep those rays from causing damage. Here’s a quick primer on what you can do to have tons of fun in the sun, without the damage:
Apply antioxidants
Sure, you’ve got your SPF (broad spectrum is best) but antioxidants like Vitamin E, green tea or grape-seed oil is the best defense during and after sun because they protect healthy cells and repair the damaged ones. Apply your sunscreen first, and then follow it up with a thin layer of moisturizer which lists antioxidants at the top of its ingredient label. Once you go inside, apply a thicker coating of moisturizer to negate the damage.
Cover yourself
Brown spots aren't only limited to your face--you can spot them on your body too, particularly on hands, lower legs, chest or any areas where your skin is thin. Even if you’re not planning a day on the beach, coat a layer of sunscreen on any exposed skin, like your hands or chest, which gets unintentional UV exposure any time you step outside.
Go big
The sun zaps your skin of water, so make sure your after-hours plan includes a high dose of moisturizer. At bedtime, apply a night cream on your face which is thicker and chock full of hydrating ingredients to replenish your skin’s moisture content. For your body, a mega-moisturizing formula with shea butter or aloe vera will smooth away rough patches and get rid of spots on skin.
We want to hear what you do when you see spots on skin. Let us know in the comment section!