Photo courtesy of jfeliasIt's a hot day in Silicon Valley today - right now it's sunny, cloudless, and the weatherman is predicting a high in the 80's. In the Midwest, where my parents still live, they're sweltering in the 90s with high humidity. Just thinking about the heat makes you want to wear as few clothes as possible, right?
So before you jump into the pool, run off to the beach, or even hop into the car for a nice drive with the A/C blasting, remember this: The sun is our skin's enemy.
Want to look good now and later? Protect yourself from the sun (that means no tanning booths either - there is no such thing as a "safe" tan). You'll save yourself from premature aging, wrinkles, and skin cancer; all things plastic surgery can help take care of, but wouldn't you rather not?
Simple stuff: wear as much clothing as you can bear (long sleeves, pants - I know, it's hot in the middle of summer), a wide-brimmed hat, avoid the sun when you can, and slather on the sunscreen regularly. You can even go the extra mile and imitate some of the fair-skinned ladies I've seen in the Bay Area - a full face-covering visor and arm length gloves or "warmers".
Some light summer reading to inspire you:
UVA Reform: It's Not PDQ. The lengths that some folks will go to obtain the best sun protection.
SPF inflation in the sunscreen aisle. An explanation of what's really out there in SPF.
Clothing with UV protection built in. A different kind of style for summer.
"Natural" sunscreen: Better for you? Good question, answered by the LA Times.
Avoid getting burned by sunscreen purchases. Just putting it on isn't enough; you have to put on enough and reapply regularly.
