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Author:
Devina Hoff

Are you as careful to protect your skin from sun damage as you should be? Do you wear sunscreen every time you go outside for prolonged periods? Or do you think you're safe for some other reason?

Most people are aware of the dangers of skin cancer resulting from overexposure to the sun. While people who rarely burn are less likely to contract skin cancer than people who burn easily, everyone is at risk. Even with no family history. And our collective knowledge about skin cancer risks is constantly changing. For example, dermatologists used to condone minimal use of high-pressure tanning beds (which use UVA rays almost exclusively, with very little of the UVB rays) for people who tan easily and rarely burn. The tan from these beds was thought to protect your skin from natural sunlight. Now dermatologists are finding that UVA rays cause deeper tissue forms of skin cancer, which are more difficult to detect and treat.

Even if you never contract skin cancer, overexposure to sunlight also accounts for a surprising number of the signs of aging we think of as normal. Tanning produces deep skin wrinkles, makes the skin texture leathery, and can cause discoloration such as "age spots". Avoiding sun and tanning bed exposure will help keep your skin tone even, your wrinkles fine and your skin texture soft.

Broad-spectrum sunscreens provide excellent protection from natural sunlight exposure. Even if you're not going to be out in the sun for long, it's a good idea to put some on exposed skin while dressing in the morning, particularly in the summer time. If you're concerned about potentially dangerous chemicals that have been used in sunscreen, such as PABA, you should be aware there are sunscreen products available now that don't include harmful chemicals. In fact, many are comprised mainly of natural ingredients, including moisturizers, which are the basis of any good anti-aging routine. If you already have skin damage resulting from sun exposure, there are a number of products available to even skin tone and soften deep wrinkles.

Devina Hoff reviews online skin care, cosmetics and hair care vendors for Cochesi Skin Care and Beauty. Find what you're looking at from http://cochesi.com.

| Article Keywords: Skin Cancer

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Skin Cancer... How To Prevent Skin Cancer - Risk Factors Revealed Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, but there are steps that one can take to help reduce their risk of developing the disease. The most widely discussed preventative measure is to minimize exposure to the sun's UV rays, which greatly increases the risk. If you have to be in the sun, use sunscreen with a high SPF (Sun Protection Factor). Individuals should apply sunscreen generously, before going out into the sun, and continue to reapply often. Studies have shown that the application of sunscreen can help to prevent skin cancer. The sun is most powerful between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., which is when it's rays are the strongest and most damaging to the skin. Other options for protecting yourself from the sun include dressing in dark colors. In addition, sunglasses are important to protect your eyes and the surrounding tissues from absorbing the sun's harmful UV rays. So, if the sun is a major source of damaging rays, then a tanning bed must be safe, right? Wrong! The amount of radiation that a customer is exposed to, when using a tanning bed, may be even more damaging than exposure to the sun itself. A good alternative method to tanning is the use of a sunless tanning lotion. These can be purchased at almost any local department store and are available from a large number of manufacturers, which develop their products for all different skin types. Whether you want a light tan or you want the look of a sun goddess, there is a product out there that will make you look as if you've spent hours perfecting your tan, but your skin will not suffer. It's important to realize that a sunless tanning lotion provides no SPF protection unless specifically noted. These types of products should not replace...