March 29, 2023

Skin protection | How much is too much to pay for a tan?

Sun protection is paramount to looking and feeling young, healthy and skin-cancer free.

It may feel glamorous to lay on the beach working up a golden tan, but what price are you prepared to pay? According to the Cancer Council, Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. Many people die each year from an almost preventable disease. Fortunately, being SunSmart is a simple and effective way to reduce the risk of developing skin cancer, as well as unattractive photoaging, such as pigmentation, rough skin and wrinkles.

UV - invisible danger

You can’t see or feel UV radiation. It can get extremely high over summer, even on overcast days, which means you need good sun protection every day. In fact, new advice states that sun protection is needed up until 6pm of an evening on some days. A free Cancer Council SunSmart app provides daily notifications about the levels of UV radiation and the times of day you need to protect yourself.

Undesirables

The other undesirable consequence of sun exposure is photoaging. Just a few minutes exposure to UV each day can cause changes to the skin that you hadn't bargained for. Think freckles, age spots, facial spider veins, rough leathery skin, wrinkles, saggy skin, a blotchy complexion and actinic keratoses (thick wart-like patches of skin). “Photoaging” is the term dermatologists use to describe skin aging caused by sun exposure. The amount of photoaging that you will develop depends on several factors, including the amount of time spent exposed to the sun and genetics, such as skin color. People with fair skin or skin that burns easily, and those who work or play outdoors, fall into the high risk group and are at greatest risk of photoaging. Dark-skinned people, on the other hand, are generally limited to wrinkles and a mottled complexion.

Saggy skin

Photoaging occurs over a number of years, causing the skin to lose its normal structure and its ability to repair. Scientific studies have shown that repeated exposure to UV radiation attacks elastin, breaks down collagen, and impairs the synthesis of new collagen. When skin is weakened by the sun, it stops springing back, becoming loose and saggy, wrinkled, and leathery – prematurely aging you. The good news is, the harmful effects of UV radiation can be avoided with good sun protection habits. So remember to slip slop slap seek slide…Fountain Super Moisture SPF50+ Our aim is to enrich your life through skincare education and provide you with premium products at affordable prices that are a pleasure to use. One of our goals is to help eliminate skin cancer. We have subsidised the price of our super moisture SPF50+, without losing quality, to offer you a moisturiser with the highest sun protection factor available today. Why? To help you reduce the risk of getting skin cancer and the effects of photoaging.