Recommended Cosmetics

Blotchy/Uneven Tone Regimen

Minimize blotchy, uneven skin tone with a regimen of products designed to help give you a clearer, healthier look.

Dark Spots, Hyperpigmentation Regimen

Dark Spots, Hyperpigmentation Regimen

Lots of sun exposure can cause hyperpigmentation, a.k.a. dark spots on your skin. Here's a regimen that helps even the look of your skin tone.

Sun Damage Explained

Sun Damage Explained

Hyperpigmentation is a common condition in which some patches of the skin turn darker in color, a harmless condition caused when there is too much brown pigment (melanin) in the skin. This is a common condition, which can affect people of all races. Acne can also cause darkening of the skin. Any darkened skin patch can get even darker when that area of the skin is exposed to the sun, because melanin absorbs ultraviolet rays from the sun in order to protect the skin from overexposure. This is actually what is referred to as "tanning." Sun damage can also lead to fine and coarse wrinkles, or changes that may be of medical and health concerns, such as pre-cancerous lesions.

What's the Difference Between UVA & UVB Rays?

What's the Difference Between UVA & UVB Rays?

There are two types of UV rays--UVA and UVB--both of which can harm your skin. UVA rays penetrate deep into the layers of the skin and leads to premature signs of aging, which include fine lines and wrinkles. UVB rays are the primary cause of sunburn, because they penetrate the outer layer of skin and cause damage to skin cells.

Too much exposure from either UVA or UVB rays can play a part in causing skin cancer. It's important to use sunscreen protection year-round, because the amount of UVA stays fairly constant throughout the year, and also exceeds the amount of UVB rays in both summer and winter. Even on a cloudy day, 80% of the sun's UVA rays pass through clouds. What's more, when it comes to tanning beds, it's important to know that tanning beds work by emitting UVA rays, which penetrate deep into the skin.

What can you do to protect against UVA and UVB rays? Wear sunscreen every day to protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun. Apply generous amounts of sunscreen, especially when you are active outdoors. Reapply often after swimming, perspiring, or using a towel and always choose a sunscreen that offers an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 or higher.

SPF is a measurement of how long you can stay in the sun with sunscreen before getting burned. If you apply a sunscreen with an SPF of 30, for example, that means it will take 30 times longer for your skin to begin to burn than if you did not wear any sunscreen protection at all. With this in mind, sunscreens should still not be used to increase the time you spend in intense sunlight.

Because SPF measures protection against UVB rays, be sure your sunscreen protects against UVA rays as well by choosing products with ingredients that provide both UVA and UVB protection. These are usually labeled "broad spectrum," and are available as body and face sunblocks as well as daily moisturizers.

If you plan to be in the sun for an extended amount of time, look for sunscreens that offer long lasting, broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection.