Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC - 40

40

DIY

HOW TO

YOU'RE PROBABLY DOING IT WRONG,
IF YOU'RE DOING IT AT ALL. HERE'S OUR
FULL COVERAGE OF SUN PROTECTION

BY CARRIE SCHEDLER
You might know to slap
on a layer or two of SPF
before stepping into
the summer sun, but the reality
is this: Whatever you're doing to
shield yourself from damaging rays,
there is always room to improve
your protection.
"There are all kinds of options for
sunscreen now," says Steve Xu, MD,
a dermatologist and member of the
American Board of Dermatology.
He says there is sun protection
that works for everyone, from the
squirmiest little ones to grown-ups
with particular skin care preferences.
Here's your guide to using sunscreen smarter.

Apply more than you think.
Like, a lot more.

The recommended amount of sunscreen for adults is a full shot glass'
worth to the entire body-most
people use less than half of that
amount, Xu says. "If you apply an
SPF 30 but only apply about half
of what you should, it becomes
more like an SPF 7 protectionwise," he says.

Cover every extremity.

Often people get their arms, legs,
back and face but miss equally

vulnerable body parts. Necks, ears
and tops of heads are common areas
where dermatologists spot skin
cancer because they're overlooked
in sunscreen application. Don't
forget the lips-Xu recommends
keeping SPF-containing lip balms at
the ready.

Reapply early and often.

"Every two hours is the golden rule,
more often if you're getting sweaty
or going in the water," Xu says. This
applies even if you're opting for a
water-resistant sunscreen-no sunscreen can truly be waterproof, so
it's only giving you extended protection rather than a perfect shield in
wet conditions.

Built to Beat
Skin Cancer

Learn more about the symptoms,
risk factors and preventive measures for skin cancer, as well
as whom to call if you'd like to
get something checked out, at
builttobeatcancer.com/melanoma.

How to
Choose
a Formula

There are two main types
of sunscreens: chemical,
which work by absorbing
the sun's damaging rays
before they can penetrate
your skin, and physical,
which act as a reflective
surface to bounce away
rays. Which one is best?
That depends.
Looking for the
smoothest application?
Go chemical. "People like
these sunscreens because
they spread more easily,"
says I-Wen Chang, MD,
an oncologist and hematologist with Northside
Hospital Cancer Institute.
Also, they won't rub off
as much when sweating
or swimming and usually don't leave behind
a white cast. Look for
active ingredients such as
avobenzone, homosalate
and octinoxate.
Have sensitive skin?
Physical is your friend.
Physical sunscreens sit
on top of the skin rather
than soaking in, which
is good for people who
are sensitive to certain
ingredients. These products also go to work right
away, because there is no
wait time for absorption,
and fewer ingredients
are needed to achieve
broad-spectrum coverage.
Physical sunscreens have
one of two active ingredients: titanium dioxide or
zinc oxide.

PHOTO BY GETTY
STOCKSY
IMAGES

Apply
Sunscreen

SUMMER 2020 VIM & VIGOR

FdVVSU2080_13-40_Commons.indd
40 40
FdVSU20_40-41_how_to_sunscreen.indd

4/10/20
2/21/20 1:37
4:07 PM
http://www.builttobeatcancer.com/melanoma
Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Winter 2020 - GMC
