Damage caused to body cells caused by the u/v radiation from the sun penetrating the skin, is the cause of the skin aging, which results in wrinkles, age spots and skin dryness in the elderly. Any reliable form of anti-aging skin care product should, of necessity, contain some form of sunscreen.

The important thing when selecting a sunscreen is to choose one having a sun protection factor (SPF) with a minimum rating of 15. Choose a higher rating if you plan to be in the sun for longer periods. Check out also that the sunscreen is water resistant and is broad spectrum based, which offers skin protection from the damaging UVA and UCB rays from the sun.

Most of the other conventional anti-aging skin care creams and moisturizers do not compare in their effectiveness with a good sunscreen. If a youthful appearance is your objective then here are a few hints to follow to get the desired result.—

-          Avoid Sunlight. The less time you spend exposed to direct sunshine the better. It will help your skin age in a more healthy fashion. Sunscreen treatment is very beneficial, but if you decide to spend an entire day at the beach bathing in the sun, you can defeat its protective purpose, and for sure not be able to buy one with a sufficiently high SPF!

-    Use Protective Clothing If you are not a ‘sun worshipper’ but like to walk in the sunshine, make sure that you wear a long sleeved shirt and trousers to keep the sun of your body. It is also useful to protect the head, neck, and shoulders by wearing a wide brimmed hat.

-          Wear a Pair of Sunglasses. Exposure to sunlight can damage your eyes as well as the skin. Make sure you wear a pair of sun glasses whether on the beach or out for a casual walk. Check that the sunglasses offer 99% protection against both UVA and UVB types of damaging radiation.

-          Avoid Artificial Tanning Practices.  It is strongly recommended that the use of tanning beds and sunlamps be avoided completely. Artificial tanning practices can cause unwanted damage, speed up the skin aging process and increase the chance of suffering from skin cancer

The effect of any artificial tanning creams you may use do provide a little protection against skin damage, but often have only short term effects. Do not take any ‘tanning’ pills! These will cause the skin to take on an orange appearance and in terms of long term safety, their effects are unknown.

It is sensible to check out the condition of your skin on a regular basis to catch any early warning signs of skin cancer. It is currently estimated that 50% of people over the age of 65 years will suffer from skin cancer at some stage in their lives. Observation and prevention are far better than any cure!

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