Eat Your Suncreen?!?

Spring and Sun Protection

It’s Spring! Garden centers are filled with vibrantly colored pansies and our masks

will be coming off. Now’s the time to think about protecting your skin from sun damage

and skin cancer. 

The first line of defense is sunscreen. I recommend, and use, a daily moisturizer with

sunscreen. At the beach, I favor mineral sunscreen, which is safe for you and for sea

life. I look to the Environmental Working Group to point me to the best products. Here is

a link: 

https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/ 

Make sure you stock up on what you need for spring and summer beach and gardening!

You should get fresh sunscreen every year. 

Sun Protection Supplements

How about eating your sunscreen?  

Did you know that there are supplements that can prevent sunburn and sun

damage? 

One is polypodium leucotomos. It is an extract of a fern and taken daily during sun

exposure months when you’ll be outdoors a lot. it’s very effective at preventing sunburn.

I take it in the summer. A well-known brand is Heliocare. A gummy form is “Sundaily,

The Base Layer.”  

Benefits of Pycnogenol for Skin Health

Another plant extract, pycnogenol, or French marine pine bark extract, may also protect

from sun damage and even help lighten uneven pigment in your skin.  

Managing Hyperpigmentation from Sun Damage

Speaking of pigment, one of the principle unwanted effects of sun damage is

hyperpigmentation, or brown spots, of the skin. These can be most effectively improved

with enzyme and/or acid peels, laser, intense pulsed light (IPL), and radiofrequency

treatment. NOW is the time to do these, before you are sunning. We have worked hard

to find the safest, most comfortable skin treatments with the least downtime. Call us for

a consultation if you would like to consider treatment.

Effective Topical Ingredients for Fading Brown Spots

Some topical ingredients can help fade brown spots: hydroquinone (I suggest

avoiding this ingredient, which is banned in Europe), alpha arbutin, kojic acid,

tranexamic acid, soy, and licorice. Topical niacinamide helps prevent recurrence of

dark spots. There are many good face lotions with niacinamide. I like products by Eva

Organics and Paula’s Choice. (I have no connection to any specific products

mentioned.) 

Now get (safely) outside and enjoy!.

‍