It’s that time! Time to get out doors and have fun!! That also means protecting your skin… So what’s the difference between sunblock vs sunscreen? The answer might surprise you!
Or it might not… :max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/sunscreen-or-sunblock-514381_v3-f31c47240d1f4e0298e545d3dbd7c747.jpg)
Sunscreens let some rays through while blocking others out. This does not mean that the rays that are allowed in are not harmful.
Sunblocks reflect the suns rays blocking them from penetrating the skin.
The problem with both of these is that the both contain chemicals that can be bad for you if the build up when absorbed by the sun. Zinc oxide is considered to be the safest, but can also often appear smudgy white on your skin. The other problem is that there are many rays from the sun that are healthy, needed and beneficial.
Everyone needs a dose of sun daily the health benefits:
- Vitamin D production
- feed our mitochonrion for energy
- serotonin release and mood
- prevention of certain cancers (yes, too much sun causes other problem– balance is key!)
- managing calcium levels in the blood
- Reducing inflammation
- improving the immune system
- improving blood sugar handling
- relieving pain
- improving wound healing
- promoting relaxation
- improving circadium rhythm
- Improving alertness
…and for a few other things. So everyone can benefit from sunlight for a given time depending on your skin type.
Very fair skinned people can stay in the sun 20 to 30 minutes before starting to burn, and these times make vitamin D the fastest.
The darker your natural skin tone is without any sun, the more time you can spend in the sun without burning, but it also takes you equivalently longer to make vitamin D.
Even the darkest skin tones can eventually get a sunburn, and while its not as easy to see, it can still be very uncomfortable.
So you will want to get the healthy dose of sunlight that you need, but choose protection after that.
No sun? A NIR Sauna can help…
The NIR Sauna at Bliss Lifestyle Therapies can provide many of the benefits of sunlight on a lower level and without the UVB rays so you can’t get a sunburn, note that you also can’t produce vitamin D without UVB rays. #balance is key!
Protection can be more than a cream.
Clothing like light-weight long sleeved shirts, and wide brimmed hats can protect your skin without any added chemicals.
Nutrtion can also play a role in protecting your skin. Herbs like fernblock (polypodium leucotomous), Vitamin C, and natural melatonin stores in your skin play a role as an antioxidant to help selectively neutralize harmful rays. Having a healthy amount fo nutrients in your diet, and even appling these nutrients, in additon to nutrient dense herbs like aloe vera can help as well.
Eating junk food robs these nutrients from your skin because your body needs them to clean out the garbage and handle the extra sugars in the junk food.
In the winter, if you’re spending a long time on the snow, or any other time of year if you are on the water a lot, you’ll want to use a cream or fabric sunblock on places where the sun bounces off the snow or water and onto your skin. You can get burned under your chin and even behind your ears!
Hopefully this article helps you save your face as well as your birthday suit.