Key Elements to Protecting Your Skin: Sunscreen and Sun Exposure

This Memorial Day weekend kicks off summer festivities, meaning additional time exposed to the sun’s rays. To keep your skin healthy and to decrease the likelihood of developing skin cancer, it is recommended that you limit the time you spend in direct sunlight and use the proper sunscreen. With over 1 million Americans diagnosed with skin cancer each year, it is wise to take precautions. Overexposure to the sun has been directly linked to the development of skin cancers, including the deadly form known as melanoma, but research has proven that the application of sunscreen can significantly reduce the chance of development.

Although applying sunscreen is a simple task, surveys show that almost one-third of Americans are not bothering with this simple yet life-saving effort. According to a 2009 survey of 1,000 adults conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, 31 percent of Americans don’t use sunscreen at all while 69 percent only use it occasionally. The survey also revealed that men tend to use sunscreen less often than women. In addition, about 27 percent of parents having children under the age of 12 reported that they seldom apply sunscreen to their children for two to four hours of sun exposure, while 14 percent don’t apply any sunscreen to their children, even for a lengthy amount of sun exposure.

Considering the lack of use of sunscreen by many, it is vexing that one-fifth of those surveyed visited a physician out of fear that they may have skin cancer. Their fear is not unfounded. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. There are more new cases of skin cancer each year than there are occurrences of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer combined. It is estimated that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime. In addition, the incidence of melanoma is increasing at the fastest rate of the seven most common cancers with an expectation that 62,480 melanomas will be diagnosed this year, with almost 8,420 of them resulting in death.

To best protect against the development of skin cancer, The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends the daily use of a sunscreen having an SPF of 15 or higher. In addition, avoid the sun during the peak hours of 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. and avoid burning and tanning, including UV tanning booths. Apply sunscreen in the amount of 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) over your entire body at least 30 minutes before going outside and then reapply every two hours. As a further precaution, cover your body with clothing, as well as a broad-brimmed hat and wear UV-blocking sunglasses. Sunscreens may be used on infants over the age of six months. However, newborns must be kept out of the sun for total protection.  Closely examine your skin on a monthly basis and visit your physician annually for a professional exam.

Source: Susan Brady.health news

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Helpful Hints and Natural Remedies for Dry Hair

With a huge market of dry skin potions made of oils and natural herbal extracts and super duty all-day extra dry hand creams aimed at keeping skin moist throughout the harshest of conditions, dry hair seems to be the first part of the body that is neglected. Even though winter is almost over, dry skin doesn’t end with the first day of spring and your hair needs to be taken care of just as much as cracked hands, feet, or elbows.

Having an itchy, dry scalp can not only be annoying but sometimes unsightly and embarrassing by showing up on your clothes. When the scalp is very dry the follicles flake off in little white sheets that can fall from your head when you least expect them, unlike dandruff, having a dry scalp can be caused by too much sun, too much shampooing, blow drying, chlorine, or coloring among other harsh ways of stripping the natural oils from your hair. When dry scalp flakes occur normally they are slight and only occur once every month as the skin sheds.

When you have dry scalp whether it is due to stress, weather conditions, genetics, or another outside source, constantly scratching can leave your hair greasy from the oils and dirt from underneath your fingernails. The natural oil secreted by your scalp is called sebum and is produced by the hair follicles. When the hair is washed the follicles protect themselves by creating more sebum in order to keep the hair from getting dehydrated. The more you wash your hair the greasier it can become which is why washing every other day or every few days is best for the health of your scalp as well as the physical appearance of your hair.

Hair masks can also be temporarily beneficial for overly dry hair. Oils such as almond, avocado, olive, rosemary, shea, and burdock among others can be mixed with honey and used on the hair to restore the moisture. Another natural remedy is mixing egg yolks and massaging them onto the hair and scalp and some people like to use mayonnaise to revive dry hair.

Dandruff, on the other hand, also produces white (and sometimes yellow) flakes due to a fungus affecting the scalp making it severely irritated. The inflammation causes your skin to shed quicker than just a dry scalp because it can occur anywhere from 7 to 21 days out of the month. There is no cure for dandruff and although there are pricy shampoos and conditioners that help curb the itch and flakes, there are natural remedies available.

Found in The Herbal Home Spa, by Greta Breedlove, this is a quick, natural, and less-expensive way to prep your scalp to lessen the outbreak of dandruff:

2 tablespoons cornmeal

1/2 cup grape seed oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 shower cap

Mix all 3 ingredients together and after rinsing your hair with warm water, rub a tablespoon at a time into your scalp using a circular motion with your fingertips until you have covered your entire head. Place shower cap over your whole head and secure with pins if needed. Leave mixture on for at least 30 minutes then rinse well and shampoo and condition normally.

Besides homemade concoctions that will most likely make your hands slimy and make your hair smell disgusting, you should consider that the best way to keep your hair shiny and healthy is by eating a balanced diet with loads of fruits and veggies aimed at keeping the skin full of nutrients to ensure natural sebum production.

Don’t forget, your hair is just as much a part of your body as organs or skin.

Source: Lara Endreszl.health news

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