midlifejourney.com

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I recently went to my dermatologist for my yearly skin screening. She pokes and prods and scans every inch (I mean every inch) of my body looking for problems. Luckily nothing was found. But there are warning signs. Patches of brown just beneath the surface—what we call “age” spots, just ready to burst forth! With Irish heritage my skin is naturally fair, but like so many others I think a little “tan” makes me look more attractive, more healthy. In spite of all the warnings to the contrary I am a sun worshipper. Each spring and summer I spend hours lounging by the pool or walking the golf course, soaking in the rays.

I can’t not be in the sun. And the damage already done to my skin is —done. I can use age-defying creams and try to lighten the spots, but the damage is there. What I can do is prevent any further damage. (Oprah Winfrey recently had a number of guests on her show for skin evaluations. The results were shocking. Visit the oprah.com website for more comprehensive information.)  I’ve sampled and studied many of the products on the market today. Many promise to screen or block the sun’s damaging rays. Very few actually do the job.

First: A Couple of Facts

• A sunscreen does just what is says: it SCREENS the sun. It does NOT block it. Harmful rays still get through.
• A sunblock BLOCKS the sun. And how does it do this? The best active ingredient in a sunblock is ZINC. Remember the lifeguards used that white goop on their noses? Some still do. It’s ZINC and is one of the only things that actually block the sun from getting to the skin. The other ingredient that should be present in your sunblock is Titanium Oxide. It too blocks the sun’s harmful rays.

A few years ago all the Neutrogena products had zinc or titanium oxide in them. Recently they switched to using something they called Helioplex which is good but not as effective. I heard from my dermatologist that they are going back to Zinc. For this reason I still include them on my bathroom shelf. But watch for their new line of products. They promise to be even better.

After a lot of trial and error, I think I’ve found the sunblock on the market. Dermatologist recommended. The Bottom Line: Solbar Zinc- The Best Product Out There. Goes on light, gets absorbed quickly and feels soft and not sticky. Buy it online. Here is the Dermstore “blurb” about Solbar:

SOLBAR creates high sun protection factor (SPF) sunscreen products for dermatologists and their patients by Person & Covey, Inc., the company that pioneered development of products to protect skin from the harmful effects of UVB and UVA radiation. All Solbar products offer broad-spectrum protection with special appeal and benefits suited to an individual’s type of skin and exposure. Solbar was developed in response to dermatologists’ requests for therapeutic and cosmetic-quality products to protect patients with light or sun-damaged skin, people who live in sun-intensive areas, people who spend extended time in the sun, and those with photosensitization caused by medical conditions or medication.

Check them out at Dermstore. It’s a great product!