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11 18th, 2011 | 
Benjamin Franklin said it best “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. He must have known something that we didn’t because his skin sure looks nice on that $100 bill. HaHa
Actually he was referring to fire-prevention but the idiom definition, it is better to try to avoid problems in the first place rather than trying to fix them once they arise, could certainly apply to sun damage and aging.
Many times when asking patients about their history of sun exposure during a skin exam they usually refer back to a few bad sunburns they’ve had in their lifetime. Oh how we never forget the agony of burning, blistering, itching skin, not being able to find comfort no matter what we do, and then comes the peeling (which I found to be quite exhilarating!! Ha)
Although the bad sunburns contributed to the damage and even worse, skin cancers, the truth is that the accumulation of every day exposure to the sun’s harmful UVA rays and free radicals are primarily to blame for our aging issues. These issues include brown spots, fine lines/wrinkles, broken capillaries, sagging skin, uneven tone and texture.
Start today by applying an SPF 30 or higher to exposed areas, reapply if you are going to be outdoors, and don’t forget to keep your sunblock with you to reapply to the back of your hands after washing. Also, start protecting your children now, as with everything else they may fuss about it but they will thank you in the years to come.
Refer to my previous post for tips on what to look for in a sunblock and some of my favorite recommendations.
