Helpful Tips to Protect Your Skin from Sun

Choose Protection Products

• Sunscreens will help filter the harmful UV rays that pass through the skin. Choose sunscreens that will protect your skin from UVA as well as UVB and have an SPF of at least 30.
  

• Sunscreen gels act the same way as regular sunscreen, but are formulated to be used on areas of the body with hair like your scalp.

• Sunblock will create a protective barrier over your skin. Unlike sunscreens, sunblocks block out the harmful rays from affecting your skin. When choosing a sunblock, find one that has at least 30 SPF and contain octyl salicylate, methoxycinnamate, and octocrylene.

• Ensure your makeup also contain SPF properties. Bronzers, foundations, lipstick and moisturizers can all be found with SPF and will give your skin additional protection against the sun.

• Wear sun protective clothing. There is clothing you can find that are designed to protect you better from the sun. These items come with a UPF rating, which measures the amount of protection you get from the sun. Find items that have at least a 30 rating. If you cannot find UPF rated clothing, cover as much of the skin as possible when going outside and wear dark colors with a tighter weave in them.

Include Foods That Will Protect You from Sun

How to protect skin from sun? Eating the right foods is easy and great choice. 

• Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids have properties that can help protect your skin from the sun. Foods like salmon, halibut, nut oils and chia seeds have a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids in them.
  

• Lycopene-rich foods are also foods you want to add into your diet. This antioxidant is found in many red and yellow foods such as red peppers oranges, pink grapefruit, and tomatoes. These foods also contain carotenoid which can help reduce the skin's reaction to sun damage like sunburns. When cooking these foods, it is best to cook them lightly in a little bit of oil in order to retain the most nutritional value.

• Natural cocoa like that found in dark chocolate can help protect the skin as well. Dark chocolate contains a number of antioxidants like flavonoids and catechins which can be beneficial to the skin. Eat about 2 ounces of dark chocolate a day and avoid chocolates that contain milk, which can make it more difficult for the body to absorb the antioxidants.

• Broccoli, cauliflower, kale and other cruciferous vegetables are foods you want to consume more for sun protection. These types of vegetables have powerful antioxidants that help fight against free radicals and can help fight against many types of cancers including skin cancer. Cruciferous vegetables contain sulforaphane which helps the skin protect itself from cancer.

• Leafy green herbs like parsley, basil, rosemary and sage contain skin-protecting antioxidants. Spinach and swiss chard are also packed with these powerful antioxidants that protect the skin from sun damage. 

• Green tea is packed with polyphenols which can help stop cancer from developing. Green teas and black teas limit the blood supplied to cancerous areas, and it also aids in DNA repair to non-melanoma skin cancer.

• How to protect skin from sun? Eat a diet that incorporates plenty of fruits and vegetables! Fresh fruits and vegetables contain a number of antioxidants that can help reduce the effect of sun damage. Be sure to pair this type of sun protection with additional sunblocks and sunscreens when going outdoors.

Add Extra Protection

• Wear a wide-brimmed hat to help protect the face from sun exposure. The hat should have at least a two-inch wide brim. Ideally, ones that have total coverage or veils are better for protecting the most sensitive areas like the ears. Avoid straw hats or hats with open weaves as these still allow a lot of the sun's rays to pass through.
  

• Wear sunglasses or shades. You want to make you add extra protection to the skin around your eyes. Finds a pair that can block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays and that wrap around the face or fit closer to the eye.

• Use an umbrella when you are outdoors during peak sun hours. You ideally want to keep your skin shaded from the sun but there isn't always a shady place for you to hide. An umbrella will help provide you with the shade your skin needs.

• Avoid tanning booths. Tanning beds will darken the skin much faster than the actual sun's rays. This is because the rays of a tanning bed are much strong and intense and therefore can cause damage much more quickly.

• Make your own sun protection by mixing ½ cup of almond oil, ¼ cup of beeswax, ¼ cup coconut oil, 2 tablespoons of shea butter, 2 tablespoons non-nano zinc oxide powder and 1 teaspoon of vitamin E oil. Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and melt until all ingredients are well incorporated. Allow it to cool and apply it to the skin one hour before going outside as you would do with sunscreen or sunblock.

• How to protect skin from sun? The best way is staying indoors when the sun rays are at their strongest. This is typically between 10 am and 3 pm.