The Sun Is Coming Out. Yay! Please, Protect Yourself From The Rays. ^_^

British Columbia is green and beautiful because of all the wonderful rain. It's summer now though, so, bring on the sun! (with a little rain too, so the forests don't burn down : )

With the sun though comes copious amounts of UV radiation.

Let's make this perfectly clear :

THE SUN (UV Rays) 'WILL' AGE YOUR SKIN!

So please protect yourself!

Two seasons of Tree Planting without wearing sunscreen or shades gave me wrinkles I never had before, along with a “leathery” look to my cheek-bone skin.

Every time I look in the mirror, I rue the fact I didn't wear sunscreen, and that it isn't writ large everywhere you go,

“FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WEAR SUNSCREEN!”

sigh...wrinkles just don't look too hot...maybe i'll get laser someday...

Until then though, I can spare others from the aesthetic horror, with the advice I didn't get (why can't school teach useful stuff?)

#1 : UVB : Ultra Violet “Burning” Radiation. I think of it as being short-wave radiation that doesn't penetrate deeply into the skin, but causes sunburns and skin cancer.

UVA : Ultra Violet “Aging” Radiation. I think of it as “Long Wave” Radiation which penetrates deeply into the skin and actually damages Collagen (gives skin its plumpness) and Elastin (gives skin its flexibility) causing those gross wrinkles.

#2 : SPF tells you how much UVB protection you're getting, NOT how much UVA. The only way for you to know if you're getting good UVA protection is to read the ingredients on the back of the sunscreen bottle.

#3 : Wikipedia Article on Sunscreen has got the solid info. -_-

#4 : Look for Parsol 1789 (Avobenzone), Mexoryl SX and/or Mexorly XL, and Titanium Dioxide (the white stuff on Lifeguard's noses).

#5 : I use L'Oreal's Ombrelle Sunscreen SPF 45. It's expensive and pretty thick, so I just use it for my face. [sun damage. my poor face : ' ( ]

#6 : I use Wal-Mart's Equate Sunscreen for the rest of my body. It's cheap and spreads great. It's only got Parsol 1789 blocking out UVA, but I think that's enough for my bod (the face is just more important y'know?)

#7 : Wal-Mart has 100% Pure Aloe Vera for cheap and it works beautifully for sunburns and good ol' skin softening. : )

There you go guys and girls! My advice and admonition to you all. Oh yeagh, to conclude :

#8 : If you want to picture sun damage, think of a piece of fruit, like an apple or grape. Put it out in the sun and what happens? The poor thing prunes and shrivels up. Why? All the water that gave the fruit its plumpness was sucked out. Fruits are mostly water. Guess what we are?...

Wear Sunscreen please.

You'll make me happy! : )