ZO Skin Health
So you don’t need sunscreen on a cloudy day, huh?
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG! When your mother told you that you need to wear sunscreen every day, she was right!
UV radiation from the sun comes right through the clouds, not to mention directly through an office or car window…. The odds of getting a sunburn are slight, as the UVB rays are short and will not have a direct affect on the skin. However, the UVA rays are very long and penetrate deep into the lower layers of the skin, where new skin cells, collagen and elastin are formed.
Here’s an easy way to remember the difference. With UVB rays (the B “stands” for Burning)– will burn or tan your skin. With UVA (the A “stands” for Aging)– skin color won’t change, but the rays will cause premature aging. And that’s not all.
When the DNA in the skin cell is damaged by UVA radiation, you have the potential for many types of skin cancer and advanced photo-aging. Within each skin cell, on the DNA helix, there is a “damage receptor”. When the cell is struck by UVA radiation from the sun, the receptor tells the cell it is damaged, and the cell self-destructs and goes away. When the receptor itself is struck, there is no message back to the cell that something is wrong. The damaged cell now duplicates itself, and starts a chain reaction, producing many more damaged cells. This is when the signs of skin aging begin.
70% of all UV damage is from casual exposure, getting unintended sun on your skin.
UVA radiation can penetrate directly through the clouds, and a window, so if you have the “primo office” with a view, (depending on which direction it faces), you can catch the morning UVA rays or the late day UVA rays, right at your desk. The same goes for your trip to and from the office, in the morning the sun will get you from the easterly direction on your way into work, and the westerly direction as you head home. This is why wearing a sunscreen daily, even on a cloudy day, or if you plan on being indoors all day, is so important.
Be sure to use an SPF 30, which is considered maximum protection. Choosing a sunscreen that uses physical blocks (like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) are excellent ways to protect your skin from UV damage. ZO Skin Health by Zein Obagi, M.D. uses not only zinc and titanium, but also adds melanin, a natural, photo-protective agent with antioxidant properties.
Dr. Zein Obagi
What Does SPF Stand For? Your Sunscreen Probably Flunked!
SPF = Sun Protection Factor. Or SPF = Your Sunscreen Probably Flunked. That’s right. Even though physicians have been preaching for years the importance of wearing sunscreen, one bunch of treehuggers now claims otherwise.
Two years ago, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) challenged the safety and efficacy of sunscreens, claiming that the chemicals used in it can cause or accelerate cancer. In fact, they claim that 80-some percent of sunscreens flunked–claiming that they are not safe and/or effective That’s worrisome.
So let’s face the facts:
* EWG’s studies were done only on laboratory mice, and mice are much more susceptible to cancer than people.
* One of the ingredients that they claim is responsible is retinyl palmitate, which is a form of Vitamin A–which in fact is used in the treatment of cancer.
* the EWG generally prefers titanium dioxide and zinc oxide–two physical sunblocks. On that particular point, dermatologists generally agree that physical sunblocks (which block the sun’s rays) are preferable to chemical ones (which absorb the skin’s rays). So we agree. But what should you do about it?
Remember the column that was first published in the Chicago Tribune, with advice for new grads?
“Wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.”
Sunscreen is still your best protection again skin cancer and skin aging. Just reapply it frequently, use a minimum of SPF30 and use it every day.
ZO Skin Health
Skin Cancer Awareness: The Good, Bad and Ugly
May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. To celebrate, we asked our Facebook fans and Twitter followers to tell us how “aware” they’ve become over the years. Yes, we wanted to hear all the great habits they’ve adopted to prevent skin cancer, but we also wanted to hear all the stuff they look back on with regret, too — just to show how far we’ve all come.
Let’s just say we have a very honest group of followers. Take a look. And, remember: Dr. Zein Obagi insists that SPF is your best defense against aging, too. Apply it liberally for its many benefits.
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PAYING THE PRICE: Becky regrets spending more money on her tanning salon passes than her skincare products in the early ’90s.
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STYLE SOLUTIONS: Karen is proud to carry umbrellas and sport trendy hats to protect herself from the sun’s damaging rays.
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THAT’S (NOT) AMORE: Tanji can’t believe she once told friends she didn’t have to worry about skin cancer because her Italian skin wasn’t susceptible burning.
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GREASE ISN’T THE WORD: Liz can’t believe she used baby oil in place of sunscreen as a teenager.
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WHAT’S UP, DOC?: Felicita is glad she knows enough about skin cancer to schedule a dermatologist appointment whenever she or one of her kids gets a strange mole or spot on their skin.
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BURNING BED: Kirsten wishes she didn’t believe the people who told her tanning beds were safe because they didn’t have UVB rays. Forget about the powerful UVA rays to which she was exposing her skin!
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CHECK PLEASE: Elizabeth wears her SPF with pride and visits a dermatologist once a year for a mole check, just to be safe.
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FAIREST OF THEM ALL: Lea is thrilled that she learned to love her fair skin and no longer needs a tan to feel pretty.
**Join the conversation! Follow us on Twitter here and become our Facebook fan here. Or just leave us a comment right here and let us know how you’ve increased your Skin Cancer Awareness over the years.
deborah
The Worst Cities for Healthy Skin, Part III
It’s our last installment on the worst cities in the country for your skin. TotalBeauty.com conducted a study to find which cities are most harsh on our skin and we’ve taken the liberty of adding our commentary. Take a look at the five worst to see if your city made the unfortunate list.
#5: Phoenix, Arizona: “But it’s a dry heat!” Whoever came up with that never knew the wrath of severely dry skin. Without the hydration it needs, the lipid layer depletes and skin dries out as a result. To make up for the moisture deficit, Dr. Zein Obagi recommends drinking more than 8 glasses of water daily and avoiding hot water like the plague.
#4 Las Vegas, Nevada: Your skin’s luck runs out fast in this city. Las Vegans endure triple digit temperatures, a dry climate and high smoking rates, but its stress level is so high it’s stressful. Rosacea, acne, psoriasis — all of them flare up under stress. Meditate, take up yoga, count to 10. For the sake of your skin, Las Vegas, relax.
#3 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Take away the pollution and you still have the tanning beds. Take away the tanning beds and you still have 20 percent of the city puffing away. No need to fear, Pittsburgh. Dr. Zein Obagi’s daughter, Dr. Suzan Obagi, is assistant professor at the Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Center at University of Pittsburgh. When she’s not making women look younger, she’s dermatologist to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Consider her your saving grace!
#2 Houston, Texas: Ninety percent humidity and high ozone pollution prove you can’t mess with Texas, but Texas — Houston specifically — can mess with your skin all it wants. Pollution is one thing, but high ozone pollution will make your skin more susceptible to burns and damage layers of tissue. Three words: Ess. Pea. Eff.
