Judging Your Skin Tone with the Fitzpatrick Scale
The Fitzpatrick scale is an excellent tool to measure your skin tone and the possible effects of being in the sun. This scale goes from the palest skin tones at one to the darkest at six. Those lower on the scale with lighter skin tend to burn more and find it harder to tan, while those higher in the scale rarely burn and tan easily. The misconception is that those with darker skin might believe they can go out in the summer sun without health risks. This is far from true. Darker skin tones are often prone to hyperpigmentation. This means the body sends access of melanin to the skin’s surface as a defense mechanism against the sun. This is especially true in cases of skin wounds and lesions where the body may sense a need for extra protection. These unsightly repercussions can lead to months, if not years, of skin repair evolving into what can also be an intense and emotional battle.
In addition, those with Fitzpatrick skin types 3 to 6 are at risk of skin cancer due to unprotected exposure to the sun. Skin cancer may also be harder to diagnose in darker skin.
Steps You Can Take to Protect Your Skin
It’s essential that even if you don’t burn, you still take precautions to protect against the long-term consequences of sun exposure. Wearing protective clothing or limiting the time you are exposed to the sun can protect your skin. Applying sunscreen is a simple and effective measure to take care of your skin and stop these possible long-term effects.
Choosing Your Sunscreen
Picking a sunscreen might seem confusing. Choosing a good SPF rating in sunscreen can especially seem difficult. Don’t worry! The math used to calculate SPF is complex but finding the right one for you isn’t. SPF mean “Sun Protection Factor.”. An SPF of 15 means 93% of the sun’s rays are blocked. SPF 30 means 97% of the sun’s rays are blocked. SPF 50 means 98% of the sun’s rays are blocked. We recommend a Broad Spectrum of SPF 35. Broad Spectrum means that your SPF protects you from harmful UVA (Aging) and UVB (Burning) rays. Watch out: This protection only applies when using the right amount of sunscreen. Applying too little may mean a lack of security.
Skin Treatments
Beyond these protective measures, skin care treatments are excellent for keeping your skin healthy, and a trained expert can help you take the steps you need to keep your skin healthy. Contact JoyLife SPA to schedule an appointment to keep your skin at its best this summer!