Summer’s finally here! And here in Texas, that means lots of time in the sun, so it’s time to get serious about protecting your skin.
Your skin is the largest organ in your body and is critical to your overall health. Did you know it is responsible for: supplying a barrier between your internal organs and tissues and the outer environment; the sense of touch, pressure and vibration; heat regulation; control of evaporation; excretion of sweat; storage and synthesis of water, lipids and Vitamin D; absorption of medications; and communicating the overall health and vibrancy of your body?
Clearly, your skin has a big job to do. So, what can you do to help keep it in top condition?
1 – Protect it from damaging ultraviolet rays of the sun. Between 85 and 90 percent of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers are caused by ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The best way to protect your skin is to cover it up. If you can’t cover it up, be sure to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen or sunblock with an SPF of at least 30 to protect against UVA and UVB rays. Be sure to reapply often, especially if you’re swimming or sweating.
2 – Moisturize! Summer activities that take you in and out of the water can be drying to your skin. Be sure to apply a good moisturizer daily to both your body and face to help shield from environmental drying. Ask your dermatologist to recommend the right moisturizer for your skin type. Plus, the best way to keep your skin supple is to moisturize from the inside, so drink lots of water.
3 – Get your skin checked regularly. In addition to wrinkles and sun spots, exposure to the sun can cause potentially deadly skin cancer. Doctors like the talented physicians at DermSurgery Associates are experts at examining the skin for symptoms that might signal skin cancer and many other treatable conditions. Catching symptoms early is critical to successful treatment.
4 – If you do experience sun damage, it can be treated. At DermSurgery Associates, we can treat:
- Many forms of wrinkling on various parts of the face and other areas of the body
- Pigmentation issues such as freckles, age spots, liver spots and more
- Reddish areas on the neck
- Moles (pre-cancerous and cancerous)
- Red, scaly lesions on the body and lips (can turn into squamous cell carcinoma)
Your skin is the first thing people notice when they see you. It can communicate health and radiance, or it can make you look older than you really are. Talk to your dermatologist at DermSurgery Associates and see what you can do to keep it healthy and glowing this summer. Your skin will thank you!
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