You may think you’ve checked that box off—sunscreen applied, time for a great day. But research suggests that most people aren’t using sunscreen correctly—if they’re using sunscreen at all! Even a minimal amount of sun exposure—not enough to cause sunburn on unprotected skin—causes DNA damage, which can have serious long term consequences. Make sure that you’re giving your skin every support this summer.
Where are you going wrong? There are a couple of things to remember when it comes to sunscreen:
-The amount you’re expected to use is about an ounce a person. That’s a lot more than the average consumer is using. It amounts to a little over a teaspoon per body part (it’s about 6 teaspoons to an ounce). If you aren’t sure if you’re using enough, check the bottle. Some bottles amount to as little as 5 “servings” (meaning they only have 5 ounces). If you enjoy summer weather, you should be buying sunscreen about once a week (and remember that you need to be reapplying, too!).
-Make sure you’re buying the right sunscreen. This year’s sunscreen scandal is that some brands are marking their sunscreen for both UVA and UVB protection, when it reality they’re only block UVB rays, which cause sunburn (and is noticeable to consumers). Verify that your brand actually blocks DNA damaging UVA rays, too. For 2018, Consumer Reports cheapest highly rated sunscreen was the Trader Joe brand.
Don’t skip after sun support! Drink plenty of water, use lotion, and, if you get burned, apply aloe and skin supporting colloidal silver (which has a long and continued use as a burn treatment). Spray colloidal silver on skin, let dry, then smother with aloe. You can also support skin as it rebuilds with colloidal copper!
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