Just because summer is over for the year does not mean that we should stop being careful with our skin. Do you use sunscreen on your face all year? I will be honest with you, up until this past year I did not unless it was in my makeup. I regret this decision so much! If you learn anything from me, please let it be to protect your skin from the sun.
Did you know that over 50% of skin cancers are diagnosed on the left side of the body and are due to sun-damaged received while driving?! True story friends! It honestly never dawned on me! Just 30 minutes here and 60 minutes thereof driving can cause damage over time. Do not get me wrong! We need the sun to get our Vitamin D, but we also need to be safe.
This past summer my years of not using sun safety caught up with me. I was lucky because I was not diagnosed with Melanoma, but I did have to go through a very devastating surgery on my face. My dermatologist found a small spot on my forehead in July, it did not look suspicious to ME. It was flesh-colored and was not bothering me at all, slightly raised. They took a biopsy, and it came back as Infiltrating Basal Cell Carcinoma. I had to have a Mohs procedure performed on my forehead. This was NOT a fun procedure. I had to have a plastic surgeon close the wound because it was the size of a quarter on my forehead. The moral of the story is to use your sunscreen daily, start young ladies! I am going to give you several tips to help you get through the winter months to help with sun safety!
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Daily Sunscreen
If you are not using daily sunscreen, I highly recommend you start. Yes, even in the winter months. There are many great ones out there, but I have been using Monat’s Sun Veil for about one year now and love it. It has not clogged my pores and I put it on right before I apply my makeup.
What are some of the benefits of Sun Veil?
- Provides 24-hour hydration
- Mineral based
- Clinically tested,
- Allergy/Dermatology Approved
- Reef Safe
- Cruelty free
- Vegan
- Non-Nano Zinc Oxide
- Skin Cancer Foundation Approved
Wear a hat
Okay, I get it! You might not want to run around in the winter months with a wide brim sunhat on but there are a lot of options out there! If you are going to be outdoors for an extended period and it is sunny, I would suggest wearing a hat to protect your face.
The sun can create skin damage which in turn can create wrinkles and sunspots, not to mention skin cancer. So, what options do we have for hats in the winter? Lots!!
You can throw on a good ole baseball cap! Support your local team or there are options out there that are a little more “fashionable”! Below I am going to show you a couple of my top picks!
Another option in the winter is either a Fedora or a wide brim felt hat. I know you have seen these around and have debated getting one! Now you have a reason to go grab yourself one! You need it to protect your skin… Below I am going to show you a couple of my top picks!
Protect your eyes!
Did you know that you can get skin cancer on your eyelid? You can put sunscreen on your upper eyelid, but you cannot really put sunscreen on the tissue around your eye and this is a place where people can get it. A way to prevent this type is to wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet light.
I am going to include a link to The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Website in case you want to read more about this. https://www.skincancer.org/blog/eyelid-skin-cancers/
There is such a wide range of prices and styles of sunglasses, it is really a personal style thing! The most important thing to look for is if they will protect your eyes from the sun. If you can look good doing it…this is a bonus! My husband and I recently took a trip to Maui and we both bought a new pair of sunglasses as a “gift” to each other for our Anniversary. We both got Maui Jim’s, they are middle of the road as far as price goes but we love them! Below I am going to show you a couple of my top picks!
Hey! Don’t forget that spot!
I reminded you earlier to make sure you apply sunscreen daily to your face, but I also wanted to remind you of those other places that we often forget about. I am also going to include several summer spots that we often overlook just to keep in the back of your mind because summer will be here before we know it!
In the winter and colder months, if you plan on being out in the sun for prolonged periods of time, I suggest putting sunscreen on these areas. It will help prevent future skin damage.
Winter:
- Hair part. If you are not going to wear a hat, then make sure you put a little sunscreen in your hair part. This is a common misses spot and will get sunburned often. Have you ever gotten a sunburn there before? I have and it hurts! Not to mention the flaking from peeling.
- Top of your ears. If you are going to be wearing your hair up or if you ears stick out a little do not forget those ears!
- Lips. They make sunscreen for your lips, and I would suggest using it, you might think your lips are just dry, but they could be burned.
- Tops of your hands. I have a couple “age spots” on my hands and I do not like them! I know in the past I often forgot or overlooked putting sunscreen on my hands/fingers. No one wants to have hands that look like an old lady!
Summer: (in addition to the above):
- Top and bottom of your feet & toes. Have you ever had a sunburn on your feet? It is miserable! It makes it difficult to wear shoes so please do not forget these spots!
- Back of the knees. This is a place that is easy to miss. It can be hard to get to sometimes on your own. You might get the back of your legs but miss the back of your knees. This skin is super delicate and will burn easy.
- Belly Button. If you are brave enough to wear a suit that shows off your belly button or this is for the guys also! Do not forget this spot!
- Edge of your straps or right under your suit. Have you ever gotten a sunburn right under your straps because they moved just a little bit? Move those straps and apply that sunscreen!
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