5 Places You're Forgetting to Apply SPF
Summer is finally in full swing in Colorado and we are loving it. I was recently on a hike and passed a guy twice on the trail. The second time I saw him, his arms had pinked up so much that I wanted to offer him some sunscreen and aloe vera. Most people living at higher altitudes know the importance of applying sunscreen due to the fact that we get more sun exposure because the sun’s rays have less atmosphere to travel through. Research indicates that for every 1000 feet in elevation gain, the sun’s rays increase between 8-10 percent. Apparently my trail buddy missed that article. Smearing on SPF to large areas like legs and arms is easy but don’t forget the tiny areas that are prone to skin cancer. Even though individuals who have fair complexions, blond and red hair, blue eyes and have tendency to burn are at a higher risk to develop skin cancer, ALL people, regardless of skin color, are at risk.
Lips are very susceptible to environmental factors because they have some of the thinnest skin on the face. This tissue doesn’t contain sweat or oil glands either that aid in natural moisturizing in other areas of the face and body leaving them dry and prone to dehydration. Heavy sun exposure on the lips can present as actinic cheilitis and possibly develop into squamous cell carcinoma. In the mountains, people swear by lip balm but many of them don’t have SPF in them or have a very low protection factor (like 15). Sunscreen in lips balms also has a tendency to taste bad. A good option is EltaMD UV Lip Balm. It has an spf of 36, a light minty smell, no horrible taste, and is water resistant up to 80 minutes.
Unfortunately, the ears are often overlooked during sunscreen application. Research says they are the third most common location for skin cancer and like the lips, squamous cell carcinoma is the most prevalent type in the area. Men tend to be more susceptible to skin cancer on the ears because their hair is usually cut short, leaving them exposed. Make sure that when you’re applying your facial sunscreen you bring it onto the ear including the conchal bowl (middle part) and the skin behind them.
The scalp and hairline are hard places to apply sunscreen unless you’re bald. No one wants greasy hair or white blobs of lotion that won’t rub in, but a burnt part doesn’t feel good and the resulting peeling looks like horrible dandruff. Your scalp is getting blasted by the sun continuously so protection is key. Wear a UPF rated, large brimmed hat or try a scalp specific sunscreen that’s either a gel or spray formula. Coola and Sun Bum both have spray options that won’t leave hair feeling gross. If you’re bald, stick with a cream or gel option. Powdered mineral sunscreens like our B2B Brush-on Mineral Shield is a good option for reapplication along the part and hairline.
Even if you’re pretty good at wearing sunscreen consistently, the upper eyelids can be a challenging spot to protect. Polarized sunglasses are a must but still completely don’t cover the area. Many cream options, even if they are water resistant, have a tendency to run into and burn the eyes especially if you’re an athlete and sweating. Stick options are the perfect solution! EltaMD UV Stick is great for this area and anywhere else that needs quick coverage. If you have micro blading on your eyebrows, make sure you run this over them to protect the color from fading out too much.
One of my worst burns I can remember happened on the tops of my feet after sitting in a row boat for hours as a kid. I knew it wasn’t going to be good when I could feel my heartbeat in my feet and couldn’t wear regular shoes for a couple weeks after. Tops of the feet are often forgotten territory especially if you initially put on sunscreen while wearing covered shoes and then kick them off later. Like the scalp, this area faces the sun directly and gets a lot of exposure. Show your feet some love and remember to lather them up before slipping on your shoes for a day out and about.
All in all, more people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the U.S. than all other cancers combined according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Having five or more sunburns also doubles your risk of developing melanoma. This can be easily prevented by the consistent use and reapplication of sunscreen. A $34 bottle of great screen is a lot cheaper price to pay than the overall cost of treating cancer. We have several sunscreen options to pick from at Aesthetics by Design.
SOURCES:
Cancer Facts and Figures 2022. American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts[1]and-figures/2022/2022-cancer-facts-and-figures.pdf Accessed January 19, 2022.
Beecher, Suzanne M et al. “Skin Malignancies of the Ear.” Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open vol. 4,1 e604. 5 Feb. 2016, doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000000585
Chopra, Karan, et al. “A Comprehensive Examination of Topographic Thickness of Skin in the Human Face.” Aesthetic Surgery Journal, vol. 35, no. 8, 27 Oct. 2015, pp. 1007–1013, 10.1093/asj/sjv079. Accessed 12 May 2022.
Rigel, Darrell S., et al. “Effects of Altitude and Latitude on Ambient UVB Radiation.” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, vol. 40, no. 1, Jan. 1999, pp. 114–116, 10.1016/s0190-9622(99)70542-6. Accessed 9 Feb. 2020.