PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — If you knew something was going to hurt you, you probably wouldn’t do it, but by not taking any steps, many of us are leaving ourselves vulnerable to one of the most common forms of cancer every day.
KDKA’s John Shumway talks about some common mistakes doctors say they make.
The biggest mistake is to ignore the threat the sun poses to us every day.
We love the sun, but it can also be deadly. The sun can brighten up our day, but dermatologists say that if you want to avoid ending up with wrinkles like a prune, staying out of the sun is key.
Dr. Shilpi Khetarpal of the Cleveland Clinic understands that we can’t avoid the sun, and she recommends avoiding protective mistakes like not reapplying sunscreen throughout the day.
Dr Khetarpal says you should apply sunscreen every morning.
“You should use a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 and reapply it every two hours,” says Dr Khetarpal.
With two coats, you don’t need to apply a creamy sunscreen.
“You can also find products that you apply with a brush,” says Dr. Khetarpal, “which you can keep in your purse or car so you can easily reapply them.”
This rule doesn’t end with the change of seasons.
“Even on a cloudy day, we are exposed to the sun’s rays when we’re driving a car, and visible light is also emitted by computers and mobile phones,” Dr Khetarpal said.
When it comes to fighting aging, Dr. Khetarpal says most people forget about using collagen-stimulating retanoids.
“Collagen is a losing battle,” says Dr Khetarpal. “We lose about 1% of our skin every year, starting in our 20s. Collagen is what makes skin look elastic, youthful, and stretchy, like a rubber band.”
She says most anti-aging warriors don’t apply a topical antioxidant first.
“Topical antioxidants not only reverse the signs of ageing, but they also protect us from the environment and have been shown to be effective in treating pigmentation disorders,” Dr Khetarpal said.
She says you don’t have to spend a lot of money to buy products, and spending more isn’t necessarily better—a lot of generic drugstore products are fine, but it’s the ingredients that matter.
When it comes to antioxidants, we can think of Vitamin C or Ferulic Acid. As for retanoids, over-the-counter options include Retanol, Retanolic Acid, and Adapalene.
