You’re all set for a fun day in the sun with your wide-brimmed hat to shield you from the UV rays, and you have given your waterproof SPF 30 or higher plenty of time to absorb into your skin. To play it safe, you have brought more suntan lotion to reapply after swimming or sweating. You are a dermatologist’s dream – or so you think! Have you given any thought to what you applied to your skin the night before or that morning before your set out for your day? The answer is you probably have not if you have concocted a skincare regimen that works for your skin type. The problem: What is effective for Winter, Spring and Fall, can cause significant photo-sensitivity (read burning) and other skin complications come Summer. We turned to Dr. Manish Shah, a Board- Certified Denver, Colorado plastic surgeon to reveal what types of products/ingredients sun worshippers should avoid and what can serve as safe substitutes.
Dr. Shah explains that “Certain ingredients in products make people photosensitive. Photosensitivity (or sun sensitivity) is inflammation of the skin induced by the combination of sunlight and certain medications or substances. This causes skin redness and may look similar to a sunburn. Both the photosensitizing medication or chemical and light source have to be present in order for a photosensitive reaction to occur. Consumers should understand that it is not brands of skincare that can make one photosensitive but rather the ingredients in those brands.”
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