You may notice that we are dedicated to achieving radiant skin and enhancing your natural beauty through these blogs, well, today’s article is all about one of the most important factors, sunscreen.

There are many names for it, sunscreen, suncream, sun defense, SPF, etc, and you probably have heard all over how to use it and how to apply it without understanding what is the real deal. We will explain to you the main reason to use sunscreen and help your skin look radiant.

* Random fact: SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor (SPF) and when seen in products it means the ability to protect against specific ultraviolet (UV) rays.

Every day our skin is exposed to external factors that we don’t notice and impact in the long road. The common misunderstanding is that sunscreen protection is only needed on a sunny day, but the truth is it is needed every day to protect us from different types of rays that we are not able to identify and they lead to premature aging, wrinkles, fine lines, burn, discoloration and in the worst case scenario skin cancer.

The two main types of rays are UVA and UVB. UVB rays, penetrate the top layer of the skin, epidermis, but not with a deep action while UVA rays penetrate deeper. So the broader the protection the better it protects you from different rays.

Starting with the well-known term UVB rays, these rays stimulate the melanin in our body in approximately 72 hours. They cause redness in the skin called erythema due to vasodilation or heat within 12 to 24 hours, meaning that the skin has been overexposed to ultraviolet rays. They also cause thickening of the skin which is a mechanism of defense in the skin against overexposure. You may notice this very clearly at the end of a sunny holiday or Sumner season by skin flaking.

The other type, UVA rays, penetrate the skin as fast as a few hours after exposure. These rays oxidize melanin in the skin so the tan is darker but it does not mean more melanin is produced. Regardless of your tan, the skin’s defense is still the same and not higher as many people usually think when tanning. UV rays are responsible for the creation of hyperpigmentation and 80% of skin aging. The exposure to these rays is also responsible for Phytoimmunosuppression, which simply means they suppress our immune system weakening our protection against bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

But it does not end there, there also exists IR RAYS that penetrate to the bottom layer of the skin, hypodermis, causing extremely deep penetration. They generate heat and inflammation and are responsible for the creation of the enzymes that downgrade and damage the collagen and elastin of our skin.

And let’s not forget about blue light, the one that comes with our loved devices like smartphones or laptops. We don’t see them but these rays go deeper than UV rays and also cause damage to our collagen and elastin.

The result? UV + IR + BLUE LIGHT = PHOTOAGING which is premature skin aging and hyperpigmentation (age spots).

Sounds terrific doesn’t it? Don’t panic, there are amazing products that can protect us from all the above and take care of your skin. The main goal with this information is to be aware of all the exposure your skin goes through over time to protect it as well as you can and make little changes in your habits that will lead to healthy skin.

Protecting your skin is an essential part of enhancing your natural beauty and it can be an easy journey with the correct product. You and your clients deserve the best treatment, products, and results. For any more tips and details on beauty and wellness products, reach out to [email protected]. We would love to hear from you.