It's time to shield!

Summertime is almost here! Although it's still in the season of spring I can feel the summer heat now. When we had our afternoon walk today around our neighborhood with my husband and my daughter and I feel the heat penetrating my skin; made me remember to put some sunscreen the next time I go out to shield me from the UV rays. My husband and daughter needed it most because they got lighter skin which is more prone to skin damage which for the worst scenario will lead to skin cancer if not prevented. So, a few minutes ago I checked my drawer looking for sunscreen. I found a few different kind of sunscreen we got. My husband usually store a Banana Boat SPF 30 but I can't find it anymore; I guess I will get him a new one before we will head to Italy we will be there until summer. My daughter got the Coppertone WaterBabies SPF 45 when she's soaking in the beach and Banana Boat Kids SPF 30 they are both tear-free. I got the Neutrogena Age Shield SPF 45 with Helioplex™ which has the most effective UVA-blocking technology available. This broad-spectrum sunblock defends skin against UVA and UVB rays. Waterproof and sweatproof, it contains Anti-Oxidant Vitamins A, C and E to combat environmental damage. And for my face Aveeno moisturizer with SPF 15 but I realized that I needed and wanted to have a higher SPF than just having SPF 15 so I got myself another sunscreen which is also Aveeno Continuous Protection SPF 30. I like Aveeno on my face because they are oil-free, hypoallergenic and noncomedogenic. The sun gives off ultraviolet radiation that we divide into categories based on the wavelength. UVC - 100 to 290 nm, UVB - 290 to 320 nm, UVA - 320 to 400 nm which means UVB and UVA is the major contributing factor for skin damage that is why most sunscreen/sunblock says "UVA and UVB Protection". UVB is most intense between the hours of 10:00 am and 2:00 pm when the sunlight is brightest. It is also more intense in the summer months accounting for 70% of a person's yearly UVB dose. While UVB does not penetrate glass UVA penetrates deeper into the skin and works more efficiently. The intensity of UVA radiation is more constant than UVB without the variations during the day and throughout the year. UVA is also not filtered by glass. The most damaging effects are wrinkles, lowered immunity against infection, aging skin disorders, and cancer. However, we still do not fully understand the process but it could be a contributing factor. So when you go out again under the sun wear a hat, a sunglass or bring an umbrella and don't forget to shield your skin with sun protection agents.