Skin Care for Sun Lovers
It is hard not to love the sun. There were entire ancient cultures dedicated to its worship and most polytheistic religions have a sun god or goddess. Wikipedia provides a large list of hundreds of solar deities from 37 cultures.
A solar deity is a god or goddess who represents the Sun, or an aspect of it, usually by its perceived power and strength. Solar deities and sun worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms.
Most people today no longer pay homage through religion to the sun as though it is a distinct being; rather they take a more scientific approach toward the giant mass of gasses that is the center of our solar system. They understand that it gives us light and warmth, which makes earth what it is – a beautiful planet. Most also have a real appreciation for the feeling of the sun’s rays touching the skin.
Whether you are basking in the warmth of a sun ray through your window like a cat, or enjoying the sun ocean or pool side – there are people in every corner of the world who spend their time laying out. In the common modern vernacular these folks are usually called sun worshipers.
This is a dangerous habit, however, that comes with a catch-22. At Sabrina Beauty we believe in providing you with the pros, the cons and our recommendations for any situation that impacts your lifestyle, health and beauty. The crux of this comes from the interaction between the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation (rays) and your skin.
The Sun: Pros
The human body has a symbiotic relationship with the sun. When the sun’s rays encounter skin, the skin produces vitamin D. Having sufficient vitamin D is a critical component of your health. Vitamin D is actually not a vitamin at all, but rather a prohormone. It can be obtained through diet, as well as from the sun, by eating animal products such as fatty fish, liver, and egg yolks or by taking a supplement. The most efficient way to get it, however, is from the sun.
According to Medical News Today, “Having enough vitamin D is important for a number of reasons, including maintaining healthy bones and teeth; it may also protect against a range of conditions such as cancer, type 1 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis.” Vitamin D has multiple roles in the body, helping to:
Maintain the health of bones and teeth.
Support the health of the immune system, brain, and nervous system.
Regulate insulin levels and aid diabetes management.
Support lung function and cardiovascular health.
Influence the expression of genes involved in cancer development.
Vitamin D, especially related to sunlight, is also linked to good mental health. (Source). And, the sun is what makes it possible for plants to grow. It is no wonder why so many people throughout history were sun worshipers and why so many people still are today.
The Sun: Cons
The problem with spending time in the sun is that it is really dangerous and damaging to your skin. Everyone knows that sunburns are painful and should be avoided, but not everyone is as aware of the dangers of tanning. As noted by WebMD:
Sun exposure causes most of the skin changes that we think of as a normal part of aging. Over time, the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) light damages the fibers in the skin called elastin. When these fibers break down, the skin begins to sag, stretch, and lose its ability to go back into place after stretching. The skin also bruises and tears more easily — taking longer to heal. So while sun damage to the skin may not be apparent when you’re young, it will definitely show later in life.
Additionally, ultraviolet (UV) rays (radiation) cause damage to the skin’s DNA which can result in skin cancers that are deadly, at worst, and painful and life altering at best. The sun has three types of these rays, A, B, and C. According to the American Cancer Society:
UVA rays age skin cells and can damage their DNA. These rays are linked to long-term skin damage such as wrinkles, but they are also thought to play a role in some skin cancers. Most tanning beds give off large amounts of UVA, which has been found to increase skin cancer risk.
UVB rays have slightly more energy than UVA rays. They can damage skin cells’ DNA directly, and are the main rays that cause sunburns. They are also thought to cause most skin cancers.
UVC rays have more energy than the other types of UV rays, but they don’t get through our atmosphere and are not in sunlight. They are not normally a cause of skin cancer.
Both UVA and UVB rays can damage skin and cause skin cancer. UVB rays are a more potent cause of at least some skin cancers, but based on what’s known today, there are no safe UV rays.
The Solutions
There are two things that you can do to keep the sun from causing damage to your skin so that you stay beautiful and healthy beyond your years. The first of these is to protect yourself from the sun’s damaging UV rays. This entails using full spectrum sunscreen, wearing protective clothing, and avoiding too much sun exposure.
The second way to stay beautiful, despite some sun damage, is to use SABRINA Collagen Rx Plus. This amazing face cream is loaded with sun-damage fighting antioxidants, collagen that goes directly into your skin thanks to nanotechnology, and age-defying green apple stem cells.