How to Protect These Vulnerable Areas of the Body From Sun Damage

How to protect your skin from sun damage

When it comes to skincare, is your face getting all the love? Most of us (hopefully) apply sunscreen to our forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin during the day and (hopefully) use serums and moisturize at night as part of a regular SkinFitness™ routine. However, there are some other key places that might be in need of a little extra attention— and that applies to both day and night care.

1. The back of your hands

Hands down (pun intended), the backs of your hands get the most regular sun exposure, but often, they get the least consistent skincare. It’s a spot that sees the sun regardless of the season, even when other parts of your body are likely to be covered by sleeves and pants. And yet many people skip the sunscreen or at least forget to be consistently mindful about this area. As many know, hands are often the telltale sign of aging— prone to spots and extra dryness and wrinkled long before other areas. A good rule of thumb to prevent premature aging or skin damage is to mindfully rub the extra sunscreen from your morning moisturizer onto your hands right after you put lotion on your face. Then, drop sunscreen in your bag for touch-ups throughout the day. When nighttime rolls around, repeat the same step with any serums, retinol, and moisturizers you apply to your face— applying the excess (and maybe even a little extra) to your hands. Since it’s a part of your body everyone sees, it’s worth the regular TLC.

2. Your chest and neck

Can you guess what other areas see major sun? Yep, your chest and neck. While we frequently remember to add barrier protection to our faces by wearing hats and sunglasses, we tend to forget that low-cut tops leave us exposed all day long— no matter the season. The décolletage is an area with very thin skin— which is why you’ll often see deep cleavage lines on women after a certain age. This is usually caused by years of overexposure to the sun, years of side-sleeping, or a combination of both. The remedy? Be hyper-vigilant when it comes to regular sunscreen application. Every. Single. Day. And, just like the backs of your hands, you’ll want to stash sunscreen for multiple applications throughout the day. As for nighttime, a good trick is to start with serums and retinol on your chest and work your way up— that way, you’re less likely to forget. Another trick is to keep an eye on beauty products that might be close to expiring or ones you were gifted or bought that you might not be totally in love with— and use them up on these neglected areas. This will help you get extra mileage out of your products and more peace of mind when it comes to looking healthy and youthful.

3. Your lips

Not everyone knows that the sun affects your lips in the same way it affects the rest of your face. And it’s unlikely that you’re coating your entire mouth when you put on sunscreen for the day. Did you know you can buy chapstick or lip balm that includes an SPF? A lot of people don’t. By adding a dash of sun protection to your lips every day, you can stave off the fine lines that appear after years of sun exposure. Since many people already use lip balm religiously, it’s an easy way to add an extra dose of healthy goodness to your pout. When bedtime rolls around, double up on the love by swiping your excess eye cream around the edges of your lips to keep them plump and moisturized.

Taking proper care of your skin is a head-to-toe job. In a perfect world, we’d all be wearing sunscreen from birth, and we’d be careful to consider every single area that gets targeted by the sun’s rays. Since most of us don’t, it’s important to make up for lost time by tweaking your skincare routine to include these imperative zones. Also, consider getting minimally-invasive treatments, like Clear + Brilliant and IPL photo facials, that can help reverse early signs of sun damage almost anywhere on the body. Moral of the story? Don’t skip the small spots!

How to protect your skin from sun damage

When it comes to skincare, is your face getting all the love? Most of us (hopefully) apply sunscreen to our forehead, cheeks, and chin during the day and (hopefully) use serums and moisturize at night as part of a regular routine. However there are some other key places that might be in need of a little extra attention— and that applies to both day and night care.

1. The back of your hands

Hands down (pun intended) the backs of your hands get the most regular sun exposure— but often —the least consistent skincare. It’s a spot that sees the sun regardless of the season, aka fall and winter, when other parts of your body are likely to be covered by sleeves and pants. And yet many people skip the sunscreen or at least forget to be consistently mindful about this area. As many know, hands are often the telltale sign of aging— prone to spots and extra dryness, and wrinkled long before other areas. A good rule of thumb to prevent premature aging or skin damage is to mindfully rub the extra sunscreen from your morning moisturizer onto your hands right after you put lotion on your face. Then, drop a travel-sized sunscreen in your bag for touch-ups throughout the day. When nighttime rolls around, repeat the same step with any serums, retinol, and moisturizers you apply to your face— applying the excess (and maybe even a little extra) to your hands. Since it’s a part of your body everyone sees, it’s worth the regular TLC.

2. Your chest and neck

Can you guess what other areas see major sun? Yep, your chest and neck. While we frequently remember to add barrier protection to our faces by wearing hats and sunglasses, we tend to forget that low-cut tops leave us exposed all day long— no matter the season. The décolletage is an area with very thin skin— which is why you’ll often see deep cleavage lines on women after a certain age. This is usually caused by either years of overexposure to the sun, years of side-sleeping, or a combination of both. The remedy? Be hyper-vigilant when it comes to regular sunscreen application. Every. Single. Day. And, just like the backs of your hands, you’ll want to stash a travel sunscreen for multiple applications throughout the day. As for nighttime, a good trick is to start with serums and retinol on your chest and work your way up— that way you’re less likely to forget. Another trick is to keep an eye on beauty products that might be close to expiring, or ones you were gifted or bought that you might not be totally in love with— and use them up on these neglected areas. That way you get extra mileage out of your products and more peace of mind when it comes to looking healthy and youthful.

3. Your lips

Not everyone knows that the sun affects your lips in the same way it affects the rest of your face. And it’s unlikely that you’re coating your entire mouth when you put on sunscreen for the day. Did you know you can buy chapstick or lip balm that includes an SPF? A lot of people don’t. By adding a dash of sun protection to your lips every day, you can stave off the fine lines that appear after years of sun exposure. Since many people already use lip balm religiously, it’s an easy way to add an extra dose of healthy goodness to your pout. When bedtime rolls around, double up on the love by swiping your excess eye cream around the edges of your lips to keep them plump and moisturized.

Taking proper care of your skin is a head-to-toe job. In a perfect world, we’d all be wearing sunscreen from birth, and we’d be careful to consider every single area that gets targeted by the sun’s rays. Since most of us don’t, it’s important to make up for lost time by tweaking your skincare routine to include these imperative zones. Also consider getting minimally-invasive treatments, like Clear + Brilliant, that can help reverse early signs of sun damage almost anywhere on the body. Moral of the story? Don’t skip the small spots!