Why should you protect your skin - Inside & Out

Hot summer days and trips to the wine country can leave your skin in need of stronger, better, and more effective protection from the damaging effects of the sun. At Greenhaus Spa in Napa, our trained professionals agree, that navigating through the amount of sun products available on the market today can be problematic - even leaving your skin under-protected for your excursion into the Napa Valley.

So how do you determine what’s best for you and your family for sun protection?

Sun Facts:

Are you protected from both UVA and UVB? Why is this so important in protecting and maintaining healthy skin, and cancer prevention? What are free radicals and how do they contribute to UV damage and aging in the skin? In order to know the best choice in your search for the sun protection, one will need to understand that all sun products are not created equal and take the plunge into the full spectrum of sunscreen “lingo” and information.

An actual Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is determined based on the length of time your skin can be exposed to mid-day sun without a sunscreen before burning. The factor is multiplied by your individual exposure time. For example, an SPF value of 15 allows you to be in the sun 15 times longer than the time it would take you to burn with no sun protection. What most of us do not know is that “SPF” only measures UVB rays or Burning rays. Not all sunscreens protect from UVA rays or Aging rays. UVA rays cause up to 90% of photo-aging and can pass through clouds and even glass. UVA penetrates the skin much deeper than UVB and causes breakdown of collagen and elastin inducing damage in the epidermal layers where most skin cancers occur. UVA contributes and even initiates to the development of skin cancer.

Protect from UVA/UVB and free radical damage
A broad-spectrum Sunscreen is designed to protect from both UVA and UVB rays. As mentioned earlier, not all sunscreens are created equal. A broad-spectrum sunscreen provides UVA protection yet cannot be measured as a sun protection factor. So it’s important to know that you have UVA protection in your sunscreen, and just how much protection you are really getting.

SPF 50+?
There has been much controversy concerning sunscreens labeled with an SPF value of 50 or higher. The real question here would be…. are you truly getting the same “factor” of protection, or just a few more minutes of sun time?
FDA tests show that an SPF of 50 gives 99% protection from UVB rays. So really…. can there be more “factors” than 50?

Sun protection yes, but how about Free Radical Damage?
Sunscreens prevent sunburn yet may not protect the skin from free radical damage. If a sunscreen is applied too thinly or not re-applied frequently enough, the skin can be exposed to more sun damage and free radicals. As a sunscreen is exposed to light there may be some free radical by-products produced on the surface of the skin, contributing to the occurrence of more free radicals. Blocking and buffering the skin from free radical activity can enhance your defensive stance from UV induced skin aggressors.

Before you head out to go wine tasting, stop at the Greenhaus Day Spa and have one of our skincare professionals determine the best antioxidant and sunscreen combination for your individual skin type and needs. This way you ensure a truly unforgettable Napa Valley Summer experience, that not only recharges your batteries (and maybe replenishes your wine cellar) but also your skin will look healthy and rejuvenated.