Eucerin Skin FIRST Giveaway CLOSED

Late summer highlights an important theme in the Skin Eucerin Skin FIRST movement; the dichotomy of risks and benefits of the sun’s warming rays. Though it provides us with vitamin D and a healthy outwards appearance, the sun’s rays can also inflict damage over both the short-term as well as over the course of our lifetime.

Although sunburns and sunstroke are the most evident signs of over-exposure to the sun, we also have to be aware of the cumulative effects of sun exposure over the course of our lifetimes. In fact, up to 80 percent of our lifetime sun exposure is reached by the age of 20. But as we get older, we have a naturally decreasing ability to repair the damage caused by sun exposure. We have to take additional steps to properly maintain our skin as it becomes increasingly easier for it to burn, wrinkle and develop cancers.

Even as our largest organ, we sometimes forget that our skin is our first line of defense against infections and diseases. Over time, sun exposure can actually weaken our skin and suppress our immune systems. This leaves our bodies more vulnerable to both skin diseases like cancer as well as viruses that can take advantage of our sun-weakened skin.

Like all aspects of our health though, we can still achieve a balance between the risks and benefits of the sun. We are dedicating this month’s update to ways we can both offset the damaging effects of the sun and enhance skin health – a regular skincare routine can lead to more than just cosmetic benefits.

Balancing Exposure to the Sun

While basking in the sun can feel replenishing and bring us a sense of both mental and physical renewal, the amount of vitamin D our bodies need on a daily basis can absorbed in just the first 15 minutes of our exposure to the sun. Understanding the factors affecting our skin’s reaction to the sun can help us plan our time in the sun.

Factor #1 – Sunlight
- The strength of sunlight is the main factor for the quantity of UV radiation your skin can be exposed to. Latitude, altitude, time of day, season and cloud coverage can all have a dramatic effect on the sun’s impact on our skin. Even reflected sunlight from windows, pavement, water, snow and sand can raise the risk of overexposure.
Factor #2 – Skin Color
- As skin color is determined by the amount of melanin present in the skin, ethnicity can also play a large role in sun exposure. Often a result of a group’s distance from the equator (and its stronger sunlight), darker skins are more resistant to the effects of sunlight than fairer skins. African-Americans, for example, are 20 times less likely to develop melanoma than those with white skin. Conversely, one study found that African-American women aged 15 to 49 have more than 20 times the risk of vitamin D deficiency than Caucasians. Different skin colors will react to UV rays at different speeds. So one should be mindful of her skin’s susceptibilities when considering her exposure time or adding protection.
FACTOR #3 – Sunscreen
- The strength of sunscreen is determined by its Sun Protection Factor (SPF), a number that measures the amount of UV radiation required to sunburn with the sunscreen on, relative to the amount that would burn skin without it. For example, SPF-15 allows about 1/15 (about 6%) of the UV rays that would penetrate the skin without the sunscreen on. SPF-30 would allow 1/30 (about 3%) and so on.

Take the pledge today! You can still get a complimentary product by taking the Skin FIRST pledge on the Facebook page through the Skin FIRST tab http://www.facebook.com/EucerinUS (supplies are limited, so should get in on the action while they can!)

Click here: http://www.eucerinus.com/skinfirst/pledge.php You will receive updates and special offers right to your email.

I was not compensated for this post. Products were supplied to me by Eucerin as part of the Eucerin Skin FIRST Blogger Network. All opinions are my own.

WIN
ONE winner will receive a Eucerin “Goody bag” with a $50 Sunglass Hut gift card and Eucerin Everyday Protection Lotion in 15 and 30.

ENTER
To enter, take the Skin FIRST pledge! Come back here and leave a comment that you pledged!

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Amanda August 12, 2010 Giveaways, Product Reviews Eucerin Skin FIRST Blogger Network 60 Comments 220 views

About the Author

Amanda Acuña an influential Mom Blogger. She created MommyMandy as an online resource to the parenting community. She is married to her high school sweetheart and has three daughters, ages 9, 6 and newborn. They currently reside in Southern California.

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