Vitamin D is the one essential nutrient that’s linked to getting routine sun exposure. You need to know the pros and cons of getting this important vitamin from the sun, compared to being sun smart and taking a vitamin D supplement. The result of too much sun exposure is skin damage: wrinkles, brown skin discolorations, dull-looking skin, and potentially even skin cancer.
Although African ethnic skin has enough melanin (skin pigment) to make their skin less susceptible to a painful, red burn or skin discoloration, darker skins still needs (and will benefit from) sun protection. Regardless of your skin color, premature aging of the skin from sun damage will happen if you don’t provide the proper protection. I’ve compiled the most essential points you must know if your goal is to have healthy, younger looking skin.
- Use sunscreen products which filter out both UVA and UVB rays.
2. Wear sunscreen even on days that are not sunny as long as there is daylight.
3. Avoid excessive skin lightening and if you want to use a lightening product use it alongside a sunscreen. One bout of unprotected sun exposure can undo months of progress with a skin-lightening product. There’s simply no room for compromise here: Sun protection and skin lighteners are a package deal.
4. Wear protective clothing,a large brimmed hat and sunglasses will do whenever you are going to be under the sun for a long time even when you have sunscreen on.
5. Avoid sun exposure between 11am and 3pm as sunlight is at its strongest.
6. Use waterproof sunscreen keeps the sunscreen intact even when you sweat also check its expiry dates.
7. Use SPF 15 and above the higher the sun protection factor on your product the better.
With the right sunscreen, sun-protective clothing, and following our other tips, you can avoid the misery of sunburn—and significantly reduce your lifetime risk of getting one of sunburn’s most unwelcome side effects, skin cancer.
