Summer is my favorite time of year.  Beautiful weather for everything
outdoors.  That also means lots of
sun!  Of course, we should all enjoy the
sun whenever we’d like, but along with the benefits of the sun also come the
risks.
Good sun protection is absolutely essential for keeping your
skin young and healthy.  It will also
prevent premature aging and significantly reduce your risk of skin cancer.
As this topic is very important, especially this time of year,
I have been giving a series of educational talks over the past several weeks on
sun protection.  In case you missed them,
here are some highlights:
  • UVA and UVB are ultraviolet wavelengths of light that are
    responsible for skin damage.
  • UVA – causes skin Aging (sun spots, loss of
    skin tightness, wrinkles)
  • UVB – causes skin Burns (redness, pain,
    peeling)
  • Both UVA and UVB exposure can cause skin cancer
  • The three most common types of skin cancer are Squamous Cell
    Carcinoma, Basal Cell Carcinoma, and Melanoma
  • Melanoma was responsible for 10,000 deaths in the US in 2015
  • Sun protection can include wearing protective clothing and
    big hats
  • We have 2 categories of sunscreen: 1) chemical sunscreen, 2)
    physical sunscreen
    • Chemical
      sunscreen
      • The
        most common found in most drugstores
      • Ingredients
        like avobenzone and octinoxate react with the UV rays in the skin and a
        chemical reaction breaks down the sun’s energy into heat, avoiding UV damage
    •  Physical
      sunscreen
      • Hard
        to find in most stores, more easily found in medical offices and spas
      • Ingredients
        like zinc oxide and titanium oxide provide a physical barrier that reflects the
        UV rays, avoid absorption into the skin
      •  Hypoallergenic
      •  More
        expensive to produce
  • *SPF ratings apply to protection from UVB only!  UVA protection is not considered on SPF
    ratings
  • SPF 30 or greater helps protect from skin cancer, less than
    SPF 30 does not!
  • So which type of sunscreen is best for you?
    •  Physical
      sunscreens are more hypoallergenic, prevent sun from being absorbed into the
      skin, and can come in both neutral and tinted colors for different skin
      types.  They are, however, more
      expensive.
    • Chemical
      sunscreens are effective at protecting from most UVB rays and are readily
      available.  They are, however, more
      irritating to sensitive skin and don’t always protect against some of the UVA
      spectrum.
  • The bottom line of which sunscreen is best for you = the one
    you will use!
  • Consistent sunscreen use is the most important factor in
    protecting your skin. Find a product that you like and use it EVERYDAY.

This is obviously a big topic to discuss and my blog today
only touches on some of the highlights. 
For more information on sun protection, please come by our office at
Sierra Nevada Cosmetic and Laser Surgery. 
You can talk to me or my wonderful esthetician, Annette.  We can give you guidance on sun protection
best practices and recommend sunscreens that are the best for you.
I also have my presentation about sun protection coming up
in the next several weeks:
Hidden Valley Country Club – Tuesday, June 7th @
1 pm
Genoa Lakes Golf Club and Resort – TBD
I hope you can make one and learn more about this important
topic for the summer!
Here’s to the beautiful human face,

Dr. Yamamoto