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Fact: Even if you're not getting a tan, the sun is aging your skin.
Here's the really interesting part: "UVA rays are the same all year round," says Graf. That means even when it's cloudy in January, UVA rays are wrinkling your skin. The moral of the story: wear sunscreen every day, all year long. Graf likes Glytone Sunscreen Lotion SPF 40, $32, which give broad spectrum protection with both chemical and physical SPF ingredients.
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Fact: You don't need sun exposure to get Vitamin D.
"Vitamin D is a hormone, and it's important," says Graf. "But you can get it through food or take it as a supplement. And get tested to see if you're vitamin D deficient before you take action."
Last week, I sat down with New York City dermatologist Jeannette Graf, MD, to talk skin -- specifically about how to keep skin from looking like a wrinkly, well-used handbag. Graf had some fascinating things to say about retinols and the effect sleep has on skin, but the presentation took an interesting turn when she talked about sun protection. I consider myself something of an SPF expert, but some of the things she had to say really blew me away.
If you don't change the way you protect yourself from the summer after reading this, we really need to talk.
If you don't change the way you protect yourself from the summer after reading this, we really need to talk.