Sunscreen – Use It or Else…

apply sunscreenHere’s a pretty basic fact about sunscreen – if you don’t use it, it won’t work! But there is a paradox: even though more people are using sunscreen, visible skin aging changes and skin cancer rates have continued to rise. Why?

People often feel a false sense of security when they use sunscreen, thus staying in the sun for longer periods of time. However, if your sunscreen primarily blocks UVB light, you can easily be exposed to dangerous UVA light. UVA light is present in our environment WAY more than UVB light. Thus, the profound damage associated with UVA exposure – aging and melanoma – has been rising.

What is “Broad Spectrum” Sunscreen?

Broad spectrum sunscreen protects from both UVA and UVB light.

Starting June 2012, a sunscreen must demonstrate effective UVA protection in proportion to its SPF claim in order to claim “broad spectrum” protection.  If not, the sunscreen must contain the following warning label:

“Skin cancer/skin aging alert: Spending time in the sun increases your risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. This product has been shown only to help prevent sunburn, not skin cancer or early aging.”

Another paradox: the higher the SPF, the less people tend to apply.  That’s because higher SPFs tend to be heavier, greasier or have more whitening formulations.

Be safe and use sunscreens that are recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Your skin will thank you :-)

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Exfoliation & Microdermabrasion

Some exfoliation products can do more harm than good.  Make sure you know the ingredients that are in the product you are using on your skin.  More is not always better…rough can be damaging to your skin.

Every Rodan + Fields product user has access to real nurses for answers to their skincare questions and concerns. Get the best skincare of your life with the 4 skin care regimens from the doctors who created Proactive…Drs. Rodan + Fields.

Listen to what Nurse Mary from Rodan + Fields Dermatologists has to say about exfoliation and microdermabrasion.

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Skincare Habits and Sleep

So now that you’re sleeping on your back, you can also try these tips for a good night’s sleep:

  • skincare checklistMake a schedule. Set your alarm for the same time every morning and be sure to get up when it goes off, even if you’ve gone to bed late the night before;
  • Create a calm, comfortable environment that is restful. Turn off the TV, lights and take off the earphones;
  • Keep your bedroom at a cool temperature;
  • Avoid coffee and alcohol 4-6 hours before bedtime;
  • Avoid going to bed hungry or full;
  • Exercise daily;
  • Keep a pad and pen near your bed. When you wake up and can’t stop thinking about your to-do list, write it down and go back to sleep.

Top 10 List of Healthy Skincare Habits
by Dr. Katie Rodan & Dr. Kathy Fields – creators of Proactiv

  1. Protect your skin from the sun
  2. Don’t smoke – ever!
  3. Get your beauty sleep – on your back
  4. Don’t stress out
  5. Eat right
  6. Exercise regularly
  7. Drink alcohol in moderation
  8. Find the right skincare routine and stick with it
  9. Don’t be “picky” (as in pimples)
  10. Adapt your skincare routine to your climate

 

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Beauty Sleep – Skin Care on Your Back

rodan + fields sleep crushWe all know how important it is to get a good night’s sleep.  But did you know the position in which you sleep is just as important for your skin?

If you sleep primarily face-down on a pillow or on your side, the weight of your body and compression from the bedding will cause creases in your skin.  Dr. Katy Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields have a name for those diagonal lines across the forehead, from the lower eyelid to the bottom of the nose and through the lip and chin – they call it “sleep crush”.

Your sleep position can also deepen the natural lines of your face.  This is particularly obvious in the nasolabial folds (the lines that run from the nostrils to the outer corners of the mouth) and the marionette lines (the lines that extend from the lower lip to the chin).

Here’s a beauty sleep tip you can put into effect tonight and share with others…train yourself to get off your side and/or stomach and sleep on your back.  This may feel uncomfortable at first, but you will get used to it.  If you’re having a difficult time sleeping on your back through the night, try the Therapeutica Sleeping Pillow.  It is contoured to support the head and cradle the neck.

Dr. Katie Rodan says:

“I never thought I could learn to sleep on my back, but with the help of a special pillow and a nightly pep talk, I’ve changed a lifelong habit.  My reward – after a few weeks, my sleep crush lines disappeared like a newly ironed sheet.”

Give it a try…what have you got to lose but your wrinkles?

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