We all need to continue to be aware of the effects the sun’s rays has on our skin, even in these last few days of summer. Eucerin has some great advice for us…

While basking in the sun can feel replenishing and bring us a sense of both mental and physical renewal, the amount of vitamin D our bodies need on a daily basis can be absorbed in just the first 15 minutes of our exposure to the sun. Understanding the factors affecting our skin’s reaction to the sun can help us plan our time in the sun.

Factor #1 – Sunlight
The strength of sunlight is the main factor for the quantity of UV radiation your skin can be exposed to. Latitude, altitude, time of day, season and cloud coverage can all have a dramatic effect on the sun’s impact on our skin. Even reflected sunlight from windows, pavement, water, snow and sand can raise the risk of overexposure.

Factor #2 – Skin Color
As skin color is determined by the amount of melanin present in the skin, ethnicity can also play a large role in sun exposure. Often a result of a group’s distance from the equator (and its stronger sunlight), darker skins are more resistant to the effects of sunlight than fairer skins. African-Americans, for example, are 20 times less likely to develop melanoma than those with white skin. Conversely, one study found that African-American women aged 15 to 49 have more than 20 times the risk of vitamin D deficiency than Caucasians. Different skin colors will react to UV rays at different speeds. So one should be mindful of her skin’s susceptibilities when considering her exposure time or adding protection.

FACTOR #3 – Sunscreen
The strength of sunscreen is determined by its Sun Protection Factor (SPF), a number that measures the amount of UV radiation required to sunburn with the sunscreen on, relative to the amount that would burn skin without it. For example, SPF-15 allows about 1/15 (about 6%) of the UV rays that would penetrate the skin without the sunscreen on. SPF-30 would allow 1/30 (about 3%) and so on.

We can make skincare a priority by considering these factors and being active in protecting our skin. Will you pledge with me, through Eucerin’s Facebook application, to put the health of your skin FIRST?

Once you have made your pledge come back here, because Eucerin has given me two goody bags, each containing a $50 Sunglass Hut gift card and Eucerin Everyday Protection Lotion in 15 and 30, to give away. Leave me a comment with your best tip for protecting your skin to enter and I will choose two random winners on August 31st. (Winners will be notified by email shortly thereafter.)

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