Golfers: Don’t forget your sun protection!
With the summer in high gear, sun protection for your skin is extremely important. Remember: your skin is your largest organ. So apply a good sunscreen regularly to protect it. However, which sunscreen to use? How often?
Many questions arise in today’s market. It can be overwhelming. Some sunscreens do a much better job than others. In fact, some may do more harm than good. Where to begin? Here are some guidelines to follow when purchasing a suncreen.
Toxins
The increase in toxins found in the products is worrisome. Some toxins are harmful, including:
- oxybenzone.
- retinyl palmitate, which is a hormone disruptor and a vitamin A that can cause skin cancer.
High SPF
Higher SPF ratings do not necessarily offer greater protection from other UV-related skin damages. Greater SPF protection may lead users to spend too much time in the sun.
UVA protection
While most sunscreens prevent sunburn effectively when used correctly, they are not as good at preventing the more subtle skin damages produced by lower- energy UVA radiations. UVA rays have less energy and do not burn the skin, but they can:
- cause the skin to age.
- suppress the immune system.
- contribute to the development of melanoma.
Zinc oxide is a good choice for sun protection. It is stable in sunlight and can provide greater protection from UVA rays.
Other protection measures:
- wearing hats.
- wearing sunglasses.
- use your umbrella as a sunshade attached to your hand cart.
- limiting your time between 10 am to 2 pm.
- using a safe sunscreen with non-nano zinc oxide, which provides UVA/UVB broad spectrum protection.
- Using a water/sweat resistant lotion (reapply at least every 2 hours or 40 minutes after swimming or sweating).
- drink quality water regularly.
Everyone should enjoy their day in the sun, whether you’re a competive althlete, a golfer, a recreational team player, or just a spectator cheering on your favourite team/person from the sidelines. Taking care of yourself with the right product means you are always going to win. The right product has to be:
- PURE.
- SAFE.
- BENEFICIAL.
