Growing up I used to hear that getting enough Vitamin D from the sun will do you good and it’s necessary to get a lot of it. Now I was not one of those people that used to layout with their baby oil but I definitely got my far share as a young kid. As I have grown up, I have noticed the switch in the knowledge or lack thereof that we grew up with. With the newfound knowledge we have answered a few questions:
-While the human body does need vitamin D, when is it enough?
Vitamin D is produced by the human body through sun exposure, and we can also get vitamin D through certain food that we eat. I consulted with a dermatologist how much sun does a human need? 3 hours? 4 hours? Her answer was 15 minutes, and you normally get that from walking to your car and driving… Now, this can all change depending on your skin tone. Dark skin tones normally can stay in the sun longer as they are not soaking in UV rays as quickly as the ghostly pale person is.
-What happens to your skin if you get too much sun?
Well, this question could go all over the place depending on your skin type but basically, when the sun hits your skin your body tries to defend itself against UV rays which cause your skin to darken… take this too far and you will develop a sunburn. Sunburns and this darkening effect on the skin cause cells to die, skin damage, wrinkle or develop skin cancer over time.
-Does the sun really age my skin?
YES… 100% yes… which is the reason why I look like I am getting ready to ski a mountain on the beach with the amount of layers I am wearing. Am I compared to Casper the ghost when I go out….yes but when I am 60 I will be thanking myself for taking such precautions.
-What does damaged skin over time look like?
Getting too much sun without any skin protection looks like wrinkling, sagging skin, and age spots. Sunblock is your best friend…. Use her! It gets expensive if you try and fix all the spots, wrinkles, and sagging skin from the sun after the fact. Why not just take preventative steps?
-Isn’t sunscreen just as bad as going to the beach and getting sun?
So, yes and no… The ideal sun protectant is a physical sunblock over a chemical sunscreen. What does that mean? Physical sunscreens sit on top of the skin’s surface and reflect the sun’s rays off of it. Chemical sunscreens absorb within the skin and then absorb UV rays converting the rays into heat, and releases them from the body. New research has also come out about chemical sunscreens and their ingredients so it is best that you stick to the physical sunscreen that contains my two favorite active ingredients; titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Physical sunscreen isn’t the most fun to put on but definitely, 100% worth the trouble and they are developing more cosmetically elegant ways to place it on your bod.
