Give Your Sunscreen a Boost

Recent research published in PubMed® is proving there are additional ways to boost sunscreen’s efficacy — and keep your skin looking radiant. In addition to a chemical or mineral sunscreen, Rachel Nazarian, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City, suggests using antioxidant serums and moisturizers alongside your sunscreen to create even more protection for your skin.

Particularly helpful in protecting against UVA and visible light, antioxidants help prevent free radical damage caused by UV radiation. In a recent issue of mbg, Dr. Nazarian told readers, “People often ask how many antioxidants you should be using regularly; the answer is the more the better.”

Antioxidant products can be used in addition to your sunscreen or try a brand that offers both in one bottle, like Schweiger Antioxidant Sunscreen. “The more you can help neutralize unstable molecules caused by free radical formation, the longer you can salvage the health of your cells and skin,” she added. “There’s really no limit to how much you can protect and repair your body.”

It’s what’s inside that counts

Finding the right sunscreen has gotten harder with a barrage of conflicting information about the ingredient safety running rampant online. According to Dr. Nazarian, “There is a lot of fear mongering about ingredients in sunscreen,” pushing people away from this simple and powerful way to protect your skin. “Many people die from preventable skin cancers every day, which could be avoided with diligent and appropriate application of sunscreen. The evidence supporting safety in sunscreen is increasingly reassuring,” she explains.

Depending on your skin, choose a sunscreen that feels good when applying and fits your budget so you can incorporate it easily into your daily routine. “With any product, some ingredients may be less tolerable in people who have sensitive skin, but these ingredients are beautifully tolerated by most people and allow the product to be cosmetically elegant and applied smoothly, which increases compliance of the product and makes people want to apply to daily,” she adds.

Other common characteristics to consider are between a chemical or mineral sunscreen. A chemical sunscreen behaves like a sponge, absorbing ultraviolet rays, while a mineral version includes zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to act as a barrier between your skin and harmful UV rays.

Regardless of which sunscreen you choose, Dr. Nazarian urges patients to follow these basic rules during the summer months: Seek shade, use a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, and reapply every two hours, especially when swimming or sweating.

As the sun sets, hydrate

What you do after you return from a day in the sun matters as much as what you do before you leave the house. The primary goal as the sun sets is to rehydrate your skin. The barrage of elements that pull moisture from your skin are compounded in the summer from salt water, chlorine and sweating. “The gold standard for a natural product is aloe,” board-certified dermatologist Christina Chung, MD at Schweiger Dermatology Group told mbg. “It works well for post-sun care because of its anti-inflammatory properties.”

Oats are another humble ingredient that love to nourish your skin. Extracts like oat oil and colloidal oat offer soothing properties and combat dryness, scaling, roughness and itchy skin. Both are a match for children as they are soothing and effective at easing discomfort caused by sunburn.

Also, don’t wait until after Labor Day to schedule your annual skin check. The best defense against the sun is preventative care.

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