Several years ago watching the Oprah show she said as she was going to break "when we come back we will tell you the #1 beauty tool". As it turns out she was interviewing a dermatologist. After break without even a drumroll he revealed the #1 beauty tool, sunscreen! Protecting the skin from the sun is not only the best way to keep skin looking its best, but also the best way to keep it healthy. Sunscreen is a combination of products that protect the skin from the sun's ultraviolet radiation, UVA and UVB, that can cause premature aging and skin cancer. UVBs are the scary ones, but UVAs are to be taken seriously as well. A sunscreen with SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 will filter about 93% of the UVB rays and the SPF of 50 will filter out about 98%. That probably doesn't seem like much unless you have had your face whittled on lately and then that 5% might seem a little more important. If you think the long sleeve shirt is all the protection needed in our bright Texas sun a cotton and nylon shirt has the SPF of 4. Oops! While it takes an ounce of sunscreen to protect the skin, it is a well known fact that most people use about 1/2-1/4 that amount. Let me share one other fact I found interesting. SPF is not accumulative. For example, my daytime moisturizer has a SPF of 15 and my sunscreen has a SPF of 50. So one might think I have a SPF of 65, but one would be wrong! I have a SPF of 50. The Seal of Recommendation of the Skin Cancer Foundation guarantees that you are on the right track to choosing an effective product. Look for it when you shop. There is a lot more to learn about sunscreen and there are even websites that guide in choosing one that is right for you. The main thing is to use one.
Resource: Skin Cancer Website, BestConsumerReviews
