Beyond Sunscreen: The Ultimate Guide To Photoprotection For Your Skin

Dr. Andrea Suarez, dermatologist, gives us a lot more tools:

Under the sun

Everybody knows to wear sunscreen.

However, Dr. Suarez explains that sunscreen alone isn’t enough, so what more can we do?

First, a quick reminder on different kinds of solar radiation:

• UVA makes up over 95% of UV from the sun, penetrates deeply, accelerates aging and pigmentation, and passes through window glass
• UVB causes sunburn and direct DNA damage, albeit there’s a lot less of it and it’s more easily blocked, even just by windows

Avoiding the sun is of course a fine strategy, and timing counts for UVB but not UVA, because UVB peaks between 10:00 a.m. and 2 p.m. while UVA is constant all day and even on cloudy days, and exposure increases with altitude and near the equator.

Note, however:

• Shade is something of an illusion, and by this we mean: shade can still expose you to about 50% of UVA due to scattering and reflection, meaning umbrellas and trees don’t provide complete protection.
• Clothing, however, can help: in particular, tightly woven, thicker, darker fabrics and materials like polyester or wool provide good protection, while coverage and fabric condition matter more than whether clothing is labeled UPF.

Some quick extra notes on that:

• What’s going on with those UPF ratings: UPF 50 fabric allows only 1/50th of UV through, but regular clothing can perform similarly if dense, dry, and not worn out.
• Wet and worn fabrics: wet, stretched, or aged fabrics lose protective ability, while washing can sometimes improve protection by tightening the weave.
• About hats: wide-brimmed hats offer significantly more protection for your face, ears, and neck compared to baseball caps, with brim width directly affecting coverage, for obvious reasons

As for your eyes:

• Yes, sunglasses help: UV exposure increases risks like cataracts and ocular damage, so look for sunglasses labeled UV 400 or 100% UV protection (price is no indicator of quality, so check the labels).
• The design counts too: wraparound styles reduce side exposure, and of course bigger is better than smaller.
• What we said about windows matters here too: standard windows block UVB but allow UVA through, meaning indoor and car exposure still contributes to cumulative skin damage.
• A special case, however, is car windows: windshields block most UV, but side and rear windows often allow UVA unless treated with UV-blocking films.

Some other things to consider:

• Topical antioxidants: ingredients like vitamin C, vitamin E, ferulic acid, green tea, and niacinamide help neutralize reactive oxygen species generated by UV exposure, and thus also help reduce the harm.
• DNA repair enzymes: compounds like photolyase and T4 endonuclease have been shown to reduce UV-induced DNA damage and precancerous lesions, though they’re not so widely available as the other measures discussed.
• Oral supplements: some supplements can help, for example Polypodium leucotomos extract has evidence for reducing UV sensitivity and inflammation, especially in photosensitive conditions.
• Dietary carotenoids: nutrients like beta-carotene and lycopene from whole foods may support skin resilience, though supplements are less clearly beneficial in this case.

Finally, remember that consistency generally matters most: daily is is much more important than occasional perfect use, because cumulative exposure is what really drives skin damage and cancer risk.

For more on all of this, enjoy:

Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!

Want to learn more?

You might also like:

The Sun Exposure Dilemma

Take care!