SKIN ESSENTIALS

Saving Your Skin From Sun Damage

(NAPSM)-If you're African-American, you might think you don't need sun protection because you have higher levels of melanin in your skin, but you still need daily protection from incidental exposure to harmful UV rays during the winter months. As with all incidents of sun exposure, skin cancer can occur if proper precautions are not taken.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, the disease can be deadly for women with richer skin tones because it's more likely to go undetected. Sun exposure can also lead to other problems for women with more melanin in their skin.

"Acne spots and melasma, which are more common in darker skin tones, can worsen with sun exposure," says dermatologist Jeanine Downie, M.D. To keep skin safe and protected at all times, she recommends adding a sunscreen with a high SPF to your daily winter skin care regimen when engaging in outdoor winter activities like attending football games or skiing. When selecting a sunscreen, it is important to select one with an SPF of at least 30, and it should contain photo-stabilized sunscreen technology to ensure that it doesn't break down in the sun.

A good pick is a sunscreen that is formulated with a stabilized sunscreen technology such as the Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock Lotion SPF 55. It offers broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays, which is necessary for total sun protection, as well as moisture-rich soy.

For those who want to keep their skin care regimen to a minimum, Dr. Downie recommends using a daily moisturizer that has a sunscreen already in the formula. The Ambi line offers a moisturizer with a stabilized sun-protection technology in the form of an SPF of 30. Ambi Even & Clear Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30 is designed for women with richer skin tones and includes ingredients such as soy, antioxidants and essential vitamins to help even skin tone and texture to reduce the appearance of skin discoloration, while offering year-round protection from both UVA and UVB rays.

The moisturizer was recently awarded the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Recommendation for its ability to effectively and safely aid in the prevention of sun-induced skin damage.

Dr. Downie also recommends reapplying sun protection throughout the day and wearing a hat when in direct sunlight, particularly during activities such as skiing that can leave your skin wind and sun burned, as well as screening your body to look for any changes in moles or birthmarks. And most importantly, see a dermatologist once a year for an annual body check to ensure that skin cancer is caught in the early stages.

For more information, visit www.aveeno.com or www.ambi skincare.com.

Protecting richer skin tones from the sun can help reduce the appearance of skin discoloration.