Before you head out for summer fun in the sun, listen to what Dr. Cherry has to say about UV protection and the importance of maintaining healthy skin.

A lot of new information has come out on the subject of protecting your skin from the sun, so I want to update you on how to keep your skin healthy.

Clothing:
• In order for a hat to provide protection, it must be tightly woven and have a wide brim to cover the entire face and ears, which are a frequent site of sunburn
• Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing that breathes well, and avoid cotton if possible
• Some clothing has additional SPF built in (a regular t-shirt provides only about SPF10-20)

Sunscreen:
• New guidelines have been released from the FDA regarding sunscreens
• Minimum SPF should be 30; maximum should be SPF 50 (after that the protection doesn’t get much better)
• No such thing as water-proof sunscreen, only water resistant
• Needs to be applied 30 minutes before getting in water, and every 2 hours or after every time you wipe yourself off
• Broad spectrum – needs to cover both UVA and UVB (one causes sun burns while the other causes sun cancers)

Internal:
• Most damage is done by an inflammatory process that occurs as the rays penetrate deeply into the skin.
• One of the best ways to protect against free radical formation and the inflammation that it causes is with a good broad spectrum supplement, such as Basic Nutrient Support® with seven complexes that contain nutrients to help protect your skin and keep it healthy
• A broad spectrum supplement can help prevent the formation of the free radicals that we believe are one of the root causes of the aging changes we see in the skin.

Follow my complete package of protection – external (clothing, sunscreen) and internal (supplements) for healthy, safe fun in the sun!