How To: Protecting Skin From The Sun's Ultraviolet Rays
The previous blog on Spring and Summer skin care tips provided some great insight on how to protect you skin from the Sun's rays, but how much do you know about the ultraviolet rays that reach our skin? As an MK Director or Consultant, knowledge is your best asset for selling products and providing your customers with information. Today's blog will provide you with some excellent information on the Sun's Rays, giving you great selling points for product with sun protection, so let's get started.
First thing to know, there are three main rays that penetrate the Earth's Ozone layer.
The sunlight that reaches us is made up of two types of harmful rays: long wave ultraviolet A (UVA) and short wave ultraviolet B (UVB). Overexposure to either can damage the skin. There's also a third type of ray, UVC - these are the shortest and strongest, but thankfully they're absorbed by the ozone layer and don't typically reach the Earth.
UVA - These ultraviolet rays penetrate deep into the dermis, the skin's thickest layer. Unprotected exposure can lead to premature skin aging and suppression of the immune system.
UVB - These rays will usually burn the superficial layers of your skin. The intensity of UVB rays vary by season, location and time of day, with 10am - 4pm being the peak hours. Sunburned skin doesn't just feel awful, it can cause permanent damage over time.
So what type and level of SPF is best to use?
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. Sunscreens are classified by an SPF number which refers to their ability to deflect UVB rays.
SPF rating is calculated by comparing the amount of time needed to burn sunscreen-protected skin vs. unprotected skin. So if a person who might typically burn after 10 min in the sun puts on SPF 2, they have double that time before a sunburn, so 20 min. Skin protected with SPF 15 would take 15 times longer, or 150 minutes for a sunburn to occur.
With this insight into how the sun's rays reach the skin, you can provide your customers knowledge of exactly how a broad spectrum sunscreen (like MK's new sun care line) can protect them in the summer sun.
First thing to know, there are three main rays that penetrate the Earth's Ozone layer.
The sunlight that reaches us is made up of two types of harmful rays: long wave ultraviolet A (UVA) and short wave ultraviolet B (UVB). Overexposure to either can damage the skin. There's also a third type of ray, UVC - these are the shortest and strongest, but thankfully they're absorbed by the ozone layer and don't typically reach the Earth.
UVA - These ultraviolet rays penetrate deep into the dermis, the skin's thickest layer. Unprotected exposure can lead to premature skin aging and suppression of the immune system.
UVB - These rays will usually burn the superficial layers of your skin. The intensity of UVB rays vary by season, location and time of day, with 10am - 4pm being the peak hours. Sunburned skin doesn't just feel awful, it can cause permanent damage over time.
So what type and level of SPF is best to use?
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. Sunscreens are classified by an SPF number which refers to their ability to deflect UVB rays.
SPF rating is calculated by comparing the amount of time needed to burn sunscreen-protected skin vs. unprotected skin. So if a person who might typically burn after 10 min in the sun puts on SPF 2, they have double that time before a sunburn, so 20 min. Skin protected with SPF 15 would take 15 times longer, or 150 minutes for a sunburn to occur.
With this insight into how the sun's rays reach the skin, you can provide your customers knowledge of exactly how a broad spectrum sunscreen (like MK's new sun care line) can protect them in the summer sun.
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