Fraxel





To prevent premature aging and sun damage you need to protect yourself and your family from the harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun. Sun protection can significantly decrease a person’s risk of developing skin cancer. And the earlier you adopt these habits, the more protected you’ll be. Sunscreen alone will not provide complete protection. You need to use a total program to reduce the sun's harmful effects.

SUNsational Facts

Almost Everything You Wanted To Know
About UV Radiation & Sunscreens

Sunscreen Products


Tips for Sun Protection – Safety In and Out of the Sun

  • Avoid direct sun exposure between 10am and 3pm when the sun’s rays are the strongest (when the atmosphere absorbs less of the harmful UV rays), and seek shade.
  • If you have to be out in the midday sun, avoid long periods of direct sun exposure.
  • Wear proper clothing outdoors: a wide-brimmed hat, a tightly knit shirt, and sunglasses. Clothing protects your skin from the sun’s harmful rays. The tighter the weave, the more sun protection provided. Protection drops significantly when the fabric becomes wet. In fact, clothing plays such an important role in sun protection that clothing designed specifically to protect against the sun as well as laundry additives created to boost clothing’s protective function are available. The FDA defines clothing with a SPF rating as a medical device. One approved line of clothing with a rating of SPF 30 or greater is Solumbra (1-800-882-7860). Hats are the most important articles of clothing. A 4-inch wide circumferential brim is required to cover the entire face and neck.
  • Wear a true broad-spectrum sunscreen everyday, 365 days per year, to all exposed skin. The use of sunscreen should be part of your daily morning routine.
  • Not all sun protection products provide both UV-A and UV-B protection. Use a high-SPF (30+ SPF) sunscreen that also provides protection against long wave UV-A rays.
  • Apply sunscreen generously. The recommended application of sunscreen in 2 mg/cm2; this is the amount used for in vivo testing for SPF rating. An adult should therefore apply 30 –35 cc (approximately one ounce, a full shot glass) over the entire body surface area.
  • Several studies indicate that in reality application thickness more likely approximates 0.5-1.0 mg/cm2, thus lowering the effective SPF of the product. This is why appropriate application of a sunscreen is so important to its protection.
  • Apply your sunscreen to dry skin approximately 15 minutes before going outdoors - this allows the sunscreen sufficient time to adhere to the skin.
  • Reapply sunscreen 15 – 30 minutes after going outside to ensure adequate coverage; this helps prevent sun damage due to an inadequate first application.
  • Re-apply sunscreen every 2 hours, or after swimming, toweling or rubbing, or excessive perspiration. Water-resistant sunscreens will work more effectively because they adhere better to the skin, and demonstrate better persistence. Carry your sunscreen with you so it’s easy to reapply.
  • Be sure to apply sunscreen to cover your nose, ears, lips, neck, shoulders, and feet.
  • Protect your lips, a high-risk area, with lip balm that offers sun protection of SPF 15 or higher.
  • Remember that surfaces like sand, water, and snow reflect UV rays – increasing your exposure, and your risk.
  • Sunscreen does not make sunbathing safe. Sunscreen should not be used to prolong sun exposure. Sunscreen should not be used to prolong time spent in the sun. Even with a sunscreen, you are not going to prevent all the possible damage from the sun; some UV light gets through sunscreen.
  • Use sunscreen even on cloudy days.
  • Never leave children exposed to the sun without adequate protection. Because of the long time it takes for cancer to develop, studies suggest that over-exposure early in life may lead to skin cancers later in life
  • Avoid deliberate tanning. Whether from the sun, tanning bed, or sunlamp the end result is the same: premature aging (wrinkles, mottled pigmentation, and sagging skin) as well as a 1 in 5 chance of developing skin cancer.
  • Avoid tanning beds
  • If you like the look of a tan, consider using a sunless self-tanning product. These products do not protect skin from the sun, so a sunscreen should be used.
  • Get vitamin D safely through a healthy diet that includes vitamin supplements.
  • Unless indicated by an expiration date, the FDA requires that all sunscreens be stable and at their original strength for at least three (3) years. Thus while you can probably use the sunscreen that you bought last summer, keep in mind that if you are using the appropriate amount, a bottle of sunscreen should not last you very long.
It’s A Good Idea

Australia has the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world. To make it easier for Australians to remember how to protect their skin, The Cancer Council Victoria coined this catchy slogan: Slip! Slop! Slap!®

Maybe it can help you remember the essentials of sun protection. Slip! – Slip on a shirt.
Slop! – Slop on sunscreen.
Slap! – Slap on a wide-brimmed hat.

Worldwide, experts agree that the Australians’ use of the word “slop!” accurately describes how sunscreen should be used. Most people do not apply enough sunscreen to help protect against harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. One ounce, enough to fill a shot glass, is considered by experts to be the amount needed to cover the exposed areas of the body properly. So when applying sunscreen, remember to “slop!” it on.
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