Beauty products that treat aging skin on the face and neck account for some of the fastest growing sales in the skincare market.  Let’s not forget that the same factors that cause sagging skin and wrinkles on the face affect the skin on the extremities as well.  Sun damage from years of unprotected UV exposure is the key reason that skin on the arms, hands and legs becomes papery thin and prone to bruising and tearing.

Even if you have not been an avid sunscreen user, it’s not too late to help prevent further damage.  To help protect the skin from sun damage going forward, it’s important to use a product that will provide a 30 SPF or higher.  It is equally as important to choose a product that offers UVA protection too.

UVA is responsible for most of the skin aging effects of a life in the sun.  SkinHealth Technology’s UV SkinCare Daily Facial Light Lotion Sunscreen provides 35 SPF with a high level of UVA protection – perfect for the arms, legs and face.  This light weight formula is also oil and fragrance free – perfect for daily use.

To help restore sun-damaged skin’s elasticity, plumpness, and resistance to bruising and tearing, the BruiseCare® product line by SkinHealth Technology is a great system. Both products contain arnica montana, a powerful homeopathic anti-inflammatory that helps the body reabsorb trapped blood and fluid more efficiently, along with three other advanced ingredients – a peptide, a polysaccharide and an anti-oxidant.

BruiseCare®X8 Treatment Balm is a highly effective treatment to help improve the appearance of bruised skin. BruiseCare®X4 Skin Conditioner strengthens, nourishes and softens for more youthful looking skin.  Use them in conjunction for best results.

Just as summer officially arrives, the FDA has announced that they are postponing required compliance with the new sunscreen regulations that they published last year.

The larger sunscreen companies were originally supposed to have new labeling in place on products beginning in June 2012. The delay gives them until December 2012 to comply with the new requirements. Smaller companies will be given another year to make the package changes.

When the rules take effect, consumers will either benefit from, or be confused by new labels on their favorite sunscreens. Some of the changes are listed below:

Terminology such as “waterproof”, “sweatproof”, and “sunblock” can no longer be used.

Maximum SPF is capped at 50+. The FDA doesn’t believe that higher SPFs offer any additional protection, so you won’t see those 100 SPF products on the shelves next summer.

Rather than a specific UVA rating system, the new regulations propose a claim of “Broad Spectrum” can be made if the formula meets a set UVB to UVA ratio as measured by way of a Critical Wavelength Test.

Only products that have an SPF of at least 15 and meet the Broad Spectrum test can claim to reduce the risk of skin cancer and skin aging.

Sunscreen formulators and marketers will have to work within these guidelines while trying to differentiate their products’ benefits on a more generic appearing label.

1) Huffington Post

A mom in Tacoma, Washington learned last week – only after her two daughters came home from school with severe sunburn – of a state law that prevents the application of sunscreen on students at the school without a doctor’s note.  It turns out that 49 states have such restrictions (only California does not).

The end of year field day was scheduled that day and although the morning began with rain, by afternoon the sun was shining.  One of the girls suffers from a form of Albinism and is particularly sensitive to sun exposure.  By the end of the day the two girls were painfully sunburned and their mother was furious.¹

The specifics of the restrictions apparently vary from state to state, and the enforcement can vary between institutions.  Sunscreen is considered an Over-The-Counter drug by the FDA, and in Florida, where SkinHealth Technology is based, schools and camps handle them the same way as other OTC’s.  The parents can sign a consent form for its use on their children and sunscreen can be exempted from self application restrictions.²

Aside from the restrictions governing Over-The-Counter drugs, there are some policies, whether imposed by the state, or by the school, camp, or other organization attended by minors, that relate to the touching of children by other children or adults.  Application of sunscreen could be considered inappropriate contact in certain interpretations.

The Washington mom is pushing to raise awareness of this issue and challenge policies that could inadvertently harm the children they are designed to protect.  In the meantime, with summer camps and other activities provided by organized programs in full swing, parents should make sure that they are fully informed of policies on sunscreen use whenever placing their kids in the care of others.

1)    http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/school-sunscreen-policy-blamed-sending-girls-hospital-article-1.1101567

2)    http://sss.usf.edu/resources/format/pdf/med_in_use.pdf

The New England Journal of Medicine recently published an article that was a vivid portrayal of what long term consistent UVA exposure can do to the skin.  A sixty-nine year old delivery truck driver, at that job for twenty-eight years, was examined.  While the right side of his face exhibited aging that one would expect for a man of his age, the left side appears twenty years older.  The medical term used for his condition was unilateral dermatoheliosis, or photodamage on one side.¹

While UVB damage is thought to be the leading cause of skin cancer, the damage caused by UVA is more insidious.  Rather than a sudden, painful sunburn, this damage accumulates over time, causing DNA mutations and direct toxicity that can lead to skin cancer.¹  The undesirable cosmetic effects of UVA damage are only the outward sign of this.

Unlike UVB rays, which are prevalent in summer months when the sun is more direct, UVA is consistent year round.  Also unlike UVB, UVA penetrates glass causing a serious concern for people who drive a lot like the trucker in the article.

Choosing a sunscreen that offers high UVA protection is not as straightforward as selecting an SPF for UVB sunburn protection. The FDA has proposed a new guideline for measuring UVA protection.  Unfortunately, the guideline is this – if the product offers any UVA protection at all the label will say Broad Spectrum.  This only tells you whether the product provides some UVA protection without saying exactly how much.

To assure UVA protection, choose a product that contains one or more of these particular ingredients – Avobenzone, Titanium Dioxide or Zinc Oxide.  UV SkinCare Daily Facial Sunscreen 35 SPF by SkinHealth Technology offers a lightweight, oil and fragrance free solution to people who need good UVA protection every day.

1) http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMicm1104059

The true purpose of Memorial Day is to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. As you enjoy the day with your family—take time to talk about the true meaning of this patriotic day.

Celebrated the last Monday in May, Memorial Day also marks the unofficial kick-off of the summer season. The three-day weekend is a time for outdoor family gatherings, picnics and parades. Spending time in the sun is typically a part of the Memorial Day weekend, so it’s also time to make sure to purchase and use a broad spectrum sunscreen.

Broad spectrum means that the product protects from both the Ultra Violet B (UVB) and Ultra Violet A (UVA) rays of the sun. The UVB rays cause sunburn, while the UVA rays cause deeper, more long-term damage and may be responsible for certain skin cancers, such as melanoma.

Be aware that all ‘broad spectrum’ sunscreens are not equal. There are three ingredients to look for on the label to determine UVA protection: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide and avobenzone. Both titanium dioxide and zinc oxide leave an unattractive white film on the skin. The most effective and cosmetically pleasing of the three is avobenzone at a concentration of 3%.

SkinHealth Technology offers a variety of true broad spectrum sunscreens containing Avobenzone.

Chances are if you are between the ages of 10 and 24 your next visit to the doctor will include a warning about the dangers of excessive sun exposure.

According to an article published this week by WebMD News, your doctor may give you (or your child) a gentle lecture about sun protection. The objective is for the doctor to appeal to your vanity to reduce sun exposure now and the risk of skin cancer later. ¹

The counseling sessions are a new recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The independent group of experts reviews evidence and makes recommendations about preventive health services.

According to the new recommendation doctors should:

• Conduct appearance-based behavioral counseling for their fair-skinned patients.
• Warn them of the ill effects of too much sun on their appearance.
• Encourage sun-safe behaviors such as wearing sunscreen and hats.¹

Why focus on appearance?

Appearance is very important to that age group. However, because “The outcome of skin cancer is so far down the road for them it’s not terribly relevant,” says Virginia A. Moyer, MD, MPH, chair of the task force and professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Although the recommendation is for fair-skinned individuals between the ages of 10 and 24 – because that’s where the evidence is strong and the studies have been done – Moyer says of older and darker-skinned people, “We certainly aren’t telling other people to ignore this.” ¹

The new recommendation is published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.¹

1) http://www.webmd.com/melanoma-skin-cancer/news/20120507/warning-youth-skin-cancer-with-vanity-appeal

A new study published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings reports that between 1970 and 2009 melanoma increased in young women and men between the ages of 18 and 39.  Although men generally have a higher lifetime risk of melanoma than women, the researchers found the opposite trend to be true among the young adults. “We knew we would see an increase in rates among young women, but we were surprised we saw such a dramatic increase. This seems to be higher than what has been reported previously,” said Mayo Clinic dermatologist Dr. Jerry Brewer in a teleconference.¹ The researchers believe this increase is due to tanning bed use and teenagers’ failure to heed warnings about the dangers of indoor tanning.

One thing that does seem to get the attention of this demographic is the wrinkling skin damage that is caused by tanning, and tanning beds in particular.  Another study published in the May 2010 Archives of Dermatology focused on this aspect of indoor tanning, rather than the health risks.  At the end of the study the half of the participants who were given materials to read that gave them alternative ways to improve their appearance had reduced their tanning habits.²

All this seems to indicate that even though young adults have sought to improve their self perceived appearance by tanning, they are even more concerned about looking wrinkled.  There have been other reports that show that when a dermatologist talks to young patients about sunscreen use, they have better luck getting them to use it if they address skin aging, rather than skin cancer.  So if the young tanners in your life haven’t responded to pleas to their mortality, try appealing to their vanity by recommending a lightweight daily sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher that provides broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection.

1)  http://healthland.time.com/2012/04/02/study-finds-dramatic-rise-in-skin-cancer-among-young-adults/?hpt=hp_t3#ixzz1r0cyFMP8

2)  http://healthland.time.com/2010/05/18/in-young-tanners-fear-of-wrinkling-is-worse-than-cancer/

Recently, Dr. Stephanie Seneff, a senior scientist at MIT was quoted in an article by Dr. Joseph Mercola, entitled “How Can Sunscreen Cause Alzheimer’s?” Seneff, a senior scientist at MIT who has a wealth of information about the importance of sulfur, explains:
“… depletion of sulfate supply to the brain is another important contributor to Alzheimer’s, and I further think that sulfate is supplied to the brain principally by sterol sulfates like cholesterol sulfate as well as their derivatives like vitamin D3 sulfate. Both cholesterol sulfate and vitamin D3 sulfate are synthesized in the skin upon exposure to sunlight, and it is theorized that the skin is the major supplier of these nutrients to the body. This is why I believe that excess sunscreen use and excess sun avoidance are another principal causative factor in Alzheimer’s disease.”¹

The argument for safe sun exposure for overall health is a growing one. The question is how much sun is too much?
SkinHealth Technology has developed a patented, new sensor that helps enable the user to get sun without damage to the skin.

The Natural Vitamin D UV Activation Sensors take the guess work out of gauging the real-time intensity of UV light and answers the universal “how long should you stay in the sun without sun protection” question.

1) http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/03/sun-screens-cause-alzheimers.aspx

Spring is here and with much of the country experiencing above normal temperatures people are enjoying outdoor activities extra early this year.  Experts in the medical field agree that spending a short amount of time in the sun (without sun protection) is actually good for you.  A certain amount of exposure to natural UVB light allows the body to produce vitamin D naturally. This critical nutrient is essential to overall health and the best way to obtain it is from the sun.

According to Dr. Oz, “Vitamin D boosts your immunity, promotes healthy neuro-muscular functions and helps protect you from some forms of cancer. The easiest way to reap the benefits of this nutrient is to spend 15 minutes in the sun a few times a week. Be mindful that sunscreen will prevent you from getting adequate vitamin D outdoors; try skipping sunscreen for just 15 minutes.” ¹

This is great advice, but with variables like time of day, time of year, geographic location, etc—it’s evident that 15 minutes in Maine is not going to equate to 15 minutes in Miami! So how do can you know when you’ve had enough sun to attain your vitamin D?

A small sensor that enables the user to identify when they have spent enough time–without burning–is now available from SkinHealth Technology. ‘Natural Vitamin D UV Activation Sensors’ adhere to clothing or skin. When the color changes from yellow to red–optimal vitamin D development has taken place and indicates it is time to apply sunscreen or seek cover.

SkinHealth Technology developed Natural Vitamin D Sheer Sunscreen as ‘step two’ and is designed to be applied to the skin as soon as the sensor indicates vitamin D optimization. The sunscreen immediately begins protecting the skin.

1) http://www.doctoroz.com

On the heels of an already mild winter, Punxsutawney Phil’s Groundhog Day prediction of six more weeks of winter is a little off this year.  Much of the U.S. has been warmer than average and many regions are experiencing record high temperatures, so it’s a great time to get outdoors to enjoy the sun and fresh air.¹ Unfortunately, it’s also a prime set-up for that blind side so many of us have experienced on beautiful spring days – an unexpected sunburn!

The UV Index in parts of the country are also expected to be above average in correlation to the higher temperatures.   It’s easy to forget how strong the sun can be when the temperature is so comfortable.  If you aren’t prepared with sunscreen, you could become sunburned before you ever realize it.

Before you head outside, check the UV index on your local news or on the EPA’s  Sunwise UV Index home page.² This will help you determine the appropriate level of sunscreen protection needed for your region.  It’s always good to have a lightweight, oil-free sunscreen with an SPF of 30 of higher on hand.  UV Skincare Facial Light Sunscreen SPF35 by SkinHealth Technology is a great choice.  It is light, silky, and fragrance free so you hardly know you have it on.

1)    http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/12/10652420-temps-in-60s-70s-likely-across-northeast-midwest

2)    http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html