We all love to catch some of the sun's warm rays, but it's one of the most damaging elements to our skin. Not only does it put your skin at risk for skin cancer, but it can speed up the aging process of your skin. Good news though! We can drastically help prevent these things with a little know-how!

WHAT IS THE SUN DOING TO MY SKIN?

Many of the symptoms of aging we clump together are really the product of exposure to the sun's ultraviolet light (UV for short.) These UV rays damage the collagen and elastin in our skin. Thus unwanted sagging, stretching, wrinkles and spots start to appear.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UVA & UVB?

To make this simple, UVA sun rays are what affect skin aging. UVB rays are what sunburns are associated with. The burns are what put you at greater risk for skin cancer. So what I'm saying is that it's very important to have sun protection for both of these areas. So slab on that SPF!

IT'S CLOUDY, SO I'M FINE RIGHT?

No. Not fine! UV rays penetrate even through clouds! They go through glass too! Even if temperatures are low, UV rays are with us in all seasons. Play it safe and wear sunscreen on any visible skin all year round. Your skin will thank you!

Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect you from UVA and UVB rays.
Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before sun exposure.
Wear a hat when you can.
Re-apply sunscreen after swimming or sweating.
Use a lip-balm with SPF15 or higher.
Don't forget to apply on the ears, back of the neck and behind the knees.