LENA BLOG

One misconception a bout sun exposure I want to address is the notion that we should avoid the sun altogether. True, we don’t want to ever overexpose ourselves to the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation, but humans require sunlight in order to thrive, grow, and feel nourished. We would not exist without sunlight (as evidenced by history). The sun heats our planet and makes things grow. It stimulates certain vitamins (namely vitamin D) in our bodies and generally makes us feel good. There are studies showing that people who live in areas with little sunshine at certain times of the year have a higher incidence of depression. There is even a name for this depressed state; it ’ s called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). We are meant to be outside. It’s overexposure and unprotected sun exposure that should always be avoided, but not sunshine altogether. There’s nothing like a bright, sunshiny day to lift our spirits and motivate us to get things done — or to just relax ...

Skin that has seen some sun People are always asking me what they can do to keep their skin from aging. The simplest answer to that question is to avoid overexposing your skin (your face, in particular) to ultraviolet radiation (sun). I know this is not an easy task, especially when so many activities are enjoyed outdoors in the sun, but if your goal is “anti-aging” you will have to adopt behaviors that support that goal. When some clients hear me talk about sun exposure and how to protect their skin, I think they hear me saying, “Never go out in the sun.” And that, obviously, is simply not possible—or desirable. It is not about avoiding all exposure, it is about understanding the short- and long-term effects of exposure and how to avoid damaging your skin while enjoying a life spend out of doors. As we all know, too much of a good thing can turn bad. And so is true with sun exposure. Any time you receive ultraviolet radiation (UVR), you are exposed to the negative effect...

There are many reactions that are caused when sunlight hits your outer skin. Melanocytes are excited into action, which in turn produce melanin, the pigment that gives your skin its individual color or tan . Sunlight causes freckles , the color in some moles , and potentially mild to severe sunburn . Finally, DNA can be altered and may form malignancies later on. Melanin absorbs UV light and is produced by your body in an attempt to protect itself from radiation. A tan is the body’s way of responding to sun damage. When you see people walking around with a nice golden tan, they are literally exemplifying the body’s magnificent response to danger. If you have a tan, you have sun damage. The two are one and the same. Black skin, however, is naturally protected (in part) from the sun due to the high amounts of melanin inherent in the skin. So if you’re African-American or another dark skin type, you have not incurred damage; you are simply blessed with a built-in sunscre...

If you are going on any kind of outing, take the following items to ensure you won’t have an attack of “lobster skin.” All of these suggested articles will fit in a small backpack or beach bag. Don’t leave home without them , or you may come back home sporting a sunburn.  Always have a lightweight, long-sleeved, white T-shirt (like the kind you get for running a race or a sun-protective type). It will cover most of your upper body and save you from burning. You can pull it on and off if you are boating, on the beach, or even taking a long walk or hike. It can be wrapped around your waist when you aren’t wearing it. Lighter colors reflect light and won’t make you feel as hot as darker colors. Better yet, purchase an SPF-rated long-sleeved shirt. These are widely available nowadays, although they can be pricey. Cotton, linen, or other lightweight, drawstring or other loose-fitting pants in a light, sun-reflecting color are good to have around—especially on a boat...

I have been happily volunteering at Colorado Horse Rescue  (CHR) since February 2013. I am in the sun for most of my 2-3 hour shift. Becau se I ’ m around horses I have on jeans and cowboy boots, and I also wear a long-sleeved shirt under my CHR T -shirt to keep my arms from burning. And to protect my all- important hands, I have on thick leather gloves. (I know — hot, right?!) Along with the obligatory sunscreen, I always wear a bandana around my neck . I do this to protect the skin on my ne ck from sun damage. I n the summer, I ’ll wet the bandana before I put it on; this helps to keep me cool ed off a bit . At the end of my shift and after a lot of sweating, before the sunscreen and sweat start to dry, I splash rinse my face and use the bandana to wipe and dry off my face. Wearing a bandana —or something like it—is a good idea, even if you ’ re out walking. (With other exercising activities, like running and cycling , it ’ s a bit harder to pull off wearin...

A client of mine was going to Arizona for a vacation one summer. I asked if she had a good hat, and she said no. I knew this client didn’t have a lot of money to spend on a hat, so I recommended she go to Target. They always seem to have good, inexpensive hats that I call Throw Aways . I rarely spend more than $10-$15 on a hat. It has to pack well (being able to fold and mash it in a suitcase or bag is imperative!) and if I lose it, I am not out much money. Plus I know there are more where it came from. In fact, when I find a hat I truly love, I usually buy two of them. Having a spare for insurance means if I lose it or something happens to my beloved hat, there is always one waiting in the wings. The one exception to this is the hat(s) I wear out with the horses. In this case, I do spend money on a hat that has good coverage. I’ve found REI  consistently has good wide-brimmed hats that hold up over time. (These are generally not the mashable kind.) Probably my first hat...

This, of course, is an exaggeration. Recently I had a client come in who had just seen her dermatologist. We were talking about pigmentation and “sun spo ts ” on the skin. Her dermatologist pointed out how she had more pigmentation on the left side of her face , especially around the cheek and chin area as well as her upper neck. My client was shocked to find out that this was due to driving in her car. I see this a lot — eve n on my own face; there is usually more dark pigmentation on the left side of the face, the side closest to the window of the car. This dark pigmentation is caused from sun exposure — exposure while sitting in your car driving. And if you are rarely the driver but are frequently a passenger in the front seat, you ’ ll see this discoloration on your right side. Your hands are also receiving a lot of sun while they are up or around the steering wheel. Look down at your hands next time you ’ re driving and you ’ ll see what I mean. Early in my skin...