Protecting Your Skin from the Sun

Tips For Protecting Your Skin

Your skin works hard to protect your body from illness and infection, but your skin needs protection too. In light of Skin Cancer Detection & Prevention Month, we're here to share some tips on how you can effectively protect your skin from the sun's harmful UV rays.

How the Sun’s Rays Damage the Skin

Although small amounts of sun exposure are harmless, excessive exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause extensive damage to the skin and kill your skin cells. Short-term damage can result in painful sunburn, but prolonged exposure over time can lead to the development of skin cancer.

Protecting Yourself From UV Rays

Wearing Broad-Spectrum SPF

When choosing a sunscreen, it’s important to pick one that is labeled as being “broad-spectrum.” Broad-spectrum sunscreens are able to effectively protect your skin from both UVA and UVB rays. Your sunscreen should also have a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher; these sunscreens are able to filter out 97% of the sun’s UV rays.

Other Ways to Protect Your Skin

While wearing sunscreen is a great way to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays, it’s just one component of looking after your skin health. Here are some extra ways to keep your skin healthy during the summer and beyond:

• Wear sunglasses with UV protection.
• Wear protective, light-colored clothing.
• Spend time outdoors in shaded areas.
• Wear brimmed hats to protect your scalp and forehead.

Dermatology Services in Ridgecrest, California

Just like other areas of your physical health, your skin needs routine maintenance and care to stay in top condition throughout your life. At Ridgecrest Regional Hospital, we offer various dermatology services to assist you in keeping your skin looking and feeling the way you want it to.

Whether you’re experiencing skin concerns or you’re in need of a routine skin checkup, our knowledgeable dermatologist is here to help. To learn more about our dermatology services, visit our website or give us a call at (760) 446-3551 (Mon-Fri 8 AM-5 PM) to schedule an appointment.