Blog
Hello and welcome to the Trillium Creek Dermatology blog. My name is Jordan Goad and I’m a Physician Assistant with Trillium Creek Dermatology.
Contrary to belief from what you’d normally hear from a dermatology provider, the sun can be healthy and beneficial to you, as long as you get sun rays the right way! And what better way to soak up those healthy rays than by celebrating the fast-approaching Summer Solstice! In this week’s podcast, I’ll talk about the benefits of getting some additional sun rays, while reviewing the precautions everyone must take to do it safely. I will also discuss a few procedures to help erase some of the sun damage you may have created over the years.
On Friday, June 21, we will be celebrating the Summer Solstice, also known as the longest day of the year, and official start of summer. With an average of almost 17 hours of daylight, we as skin experts hope that you can learn how to enjoy the sun while still protecting yourself from sun damage.
First, we recommend that you wear a zinc oxide, or titanium dioxide-based sunscreen on a daily basis. These are physical sunscreens, which means they protect you from all the various wavelengths of light. We also recommend that the sunscreen has a sun protective factor, or SPF, of at least 50. Make your sunscreen application part of your daily routine. *Helpful Hint*: place your sunscreen near your toothbrush so that every day when you wake up and brush your teeth, you are reminded to apply your sunscreen. This way, you are protected all day long, and you can safely enjoy the sun as you go about your day. If you find yourself outside for an extended period of time, be sure to reapply your sunscreen every four hours, and wear a wide brimmed hat.
Although we recommend protection from the sun, sun exposure in moderation, does in fact have some health benefits. For patients affected by Psoriasis or Eczema, they often notice their skin improving with sun exposure, and at times, dermatology providers recommend 15 minutes of UV exposure a day for these patients. For many, especially those in the Cleveland or Northeast Ohio areas where winter months are can be very dreary, a little sunshine can even improve one’s mood. And for all people, sun rays boost levels of Vitamin D, which many people are deficient in. Just remember, it’s okay to enjoy the sunshine as long as you’re doing it the right way!
If you find that you already have sun damaged skin, Trillium Creek Dermatology offers many ways to reverse it, including chemical peels and a procedure called “IPL”. Chemical Peels help to remove the outer damaged layers of skin, revealing the younger and less damaged skin underneath. IPL or Intense Pulse Light, is a light therapy that specifically targets the brown spots or lentigos, to lighten and remove them. If you’re wondering if your skin has been damaged by the sun, schedule a consultation today with one of our providers at Trillium Creek Dermatology to see what procedure would work best for you.
At the HH Science Boutique located at all Trillium Creek Dermatology office locations, we have a number of products that can be used in combination with these treatments to ensure the best results. Our favorite, and most important priority, is sunscreen (we cannot stress this enough). HH Science has a number of zinc oxide sunscreens to suit your preference. For example, I use the Tinted Brightening BB Cream SPF 50+, which has a tint in it, so this is what serves as my daily makeup routine as well as my daily sunscreen application. For some of our patients that dislike the “feel” of sunscreen, we recommend the Ultra Sheer Sunscreen SPF 50+, which is very light so you won’t even know you’re wearing it! We also have the Daily Defense Vitamin, which helps to prevent more sun damage by acting as an internal sunscreen. It also helps by healing the areas of damage that you already have. It’s active ingredients and components are different than your regular multivitamin, so we encourage you take your daily multivitamin with the HH Science Daily Defense Vitamin to get the best effectiveness.
If you can wear your sunscreen and take your Daily Defense Vitamin on a daily basis, you will be well on your way to soaking in the rays safely this Summer Solstice!
If you would like additional information, visit TCOhio.com. To schedule an appointment, call us at 330.725.0569.
