Prep your skin for summer

The American Society of Aesthetic Surgeons, the organization for board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeons, provides ready-made blogs for their members, and since this one has particularly good links in it, I am utilizing the benefits of my membership fee and letting you read what they say about protecting your skin in the summer!

The seasons affect more than just our wardrobe. At the beginning of summer it’s good to focus on summer skin care. May was skin cancer awareness month, and sun protection is integral to both cancer prevention and healthy-looking skin.

1) Sun protection: Tanning outside or in a bed both ages the skin and leads to serious skin conditions. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, with over 2 million Americans diagnosed with this disease a year. 90% of skin cancers are associated with UV radiation from the sun. Melanoma, which is the most deadly, has 120,000 new cases every year. The National Cancer Institute recommends screening often and visiting your doctor anytime there is anything abnormal on the skin.

Links:

– The National Cancer Institute: http://www.cancer.gov/

– Skin Cancer Foundation: http://www.skincancer.org/

2) Sun tips for patients: Use sunscreen daily, cover up with hats and long sleeves when outside for long periods of time, stay in the shade and do not ever use a tanning bed.

Links:

– Take time for skincare in the summer months: http://www.surgery.org/consumers/plastic-surgery-news-briefs/time-skincare-summer-months-1034449

– Protect yourself from too much sun this summer: http://www.surgery.org/consumers/consumer-resources/consumer-tips/be-good-to-your-skin-protect-yourself

3) In-office advice: You can set up a long-term skincare plan with us. Sun spots and wrinkles can be treated with lasers, peels and injectables; depending on your skin type, the treatment can vary and have different amounts of downtime. Here is some more information:

Links:

– Skin resurfacing: http://www.surgery.org/consumers/procedures/skin/skin-resurfacing

– Maximize powerful anti-aging skin cream ingredients: http://www.surgery.org/consumers/plastic-surgery-news-briefs/maximize-powerful-anti-aging-skin-cream-ingredients-1036545

– Project Beauty Video

http://www.projectbeauty.com/videos/watch/lynn-skin-resurfacing/