Does sunscreen provide complete protection?

The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of a sunscreen formula states the effectiveness of this cream when applied at an even layer of 2 milligrams per square centimeter, for blocking the effect of UV sunrays that cause sunburns. The SPF level is defined by comparing the effect of exposure to the sun causing burns to a body area with the evaluated sunscreen compared to the burns to a non coated area. SPF 15 means that compared to a body area without sunscreen, the area with sunscreen will require 15 times more UV to be equally burned compared to the same area without sunscreen.
SPF is evaluated per 2 milligrams of sunscreen per square centimeter, unfortunately most people apply less sunscreen than needed. This causes the SPF value to be reduced dramatically hence the person thinks he/she is protected but in reality the effectiveness of the sunscreen is reduced. Thinking that you are protected when in reality you are not is very dangerous as you might linger in the sun for longer.
Another problem with sunscreens is the fact that many of them protect mostly against skin burning, caused by UV-B.  There are three types of UV rays emitted from the sun, the skin cancer foundation has a good explanation about UV classification on their web site. The different types of UV are: UV-A, UV-B and UV-C. Both UV-A and UV-B pass the ozone layer and reach the earth, most of the UV-C is absorbed by the ozone layer and does not reach us.
UV-A is the most dominant UV radiation reaching us from the sun. It is present throughout the year and during all day light hours. UV-A penetrates glass and clouds and has a deeper penetration depth into the skin than does UV-B. UV-A is a main inducer of skin ageing, wrinkles and skin cancer. It is the main contributor to tanning, it does so by inducing changes in the cell’s DNA, the skin darkens due to synthesis of melanin to protect the skin from further damage form the UV exposure. Tanning salons use mostly UV-A as the tanning source, the intensity in the salons can be 12 times higher than the natural UV-A levels from the sun.
UV-B penetration depth to the skin is superficial and it plays a major role in skin burning. As apposed to UV-A, UV-B is present in lower levels during different hours of the day, different seasons and various locations on earth and it does not penetrate glass. Similar to UV-A, UV-B contributes to skin cancer, and skin ageing.
Sunscreens were created originally to prevent skin burning and to block mainly UV-B. In recent years manufactures of sunscreens have added UV-A protection too, however the level of protection from UV-A is not included in the SPF classification. It is important to verify, when purchasing a sun block, if the formula claims to protect from UV-A and UV-B. If not specified it is probably UV-B protection only.
The problem with sunscreen is that people feel protected from the damaging rays of the sun while they really are not safe. Most people will assume that if they apply sunscreen on exposed areas, they can allow themselves to walk freely in the sun during the extreme UV hours (10AM-4PM). This is a very dangerous assumption as applying the sunscreen needs to be in the correct amount and the sunscreen needs to be of good protection values. In addition, no sunscreen provides complete protection and it is wise to always stay away from exposure during the extreme hours mentioned above.
Another misconception is that after about 4PM and in early morning hours (6AM-10AM) there is no need for sunscreen as the UV radiation is lower. Very wrong assumption! As mentioned above, UV-A is present most hours of the day, so be ware!
Most people are not aware that they need to apply sunscreen when driving or sitting in a car, or if sitting in front of a sunny window at home, the windows will not protect you, (unless they are coated with a UV protection film).
Below are the Prevention Guidelines of the Skin Cancer Foundation for wise protection from the sun:

“Prevention Guidelines
•    Seek the shade, especially between 10 AM and 4 PM.
•    Do not burn.
•    Avoid tanning and UV tanning booths.
•    Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.
•    Use a sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or higher every day.
•    Apply 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours, or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating.
•    Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreens should be used on babies over the age of six months.
•    Examine your skin head-to-toe every month.
•    See your physician every year for a professional skin exam.”

If your skin has been damaged by years of exposure to the sun’s damaging rays you might be happy to learn that you can help reduce the damage by treatments offered by various technologies. Sun spots (liver spots) can be removed by skin resurfacing technologies and photo-rejuvenation technologies. In addition, a RF technology exists, that targets reduction of wrinkles, collagen regeneration, skin tightening that improves skin texture and lessens the ill affects caused by UV radiation.  For example, TriPollar RF treatments, have been proven to effectivly reduce wrinkles and tighten the skin.  TriPollar based products are maufactured exclusively by Pollogen Ltd.    You do not have to wait till you are in your forties or later to begin treatments; the earlier you begin the better.
To finalize this write up, it would be nice if we adopted the fashion of un-tanned skin as our ancestors admired during the renaissance and earlier periods. Of course this should not include the discrimination against darker color skin that accompanied the earlier age admiration of non tanned skin.
And finally, if you do spend significant time in the sun, make sure to follow the guidelines mentioned above and minimize the damage to your skin.

Picture taken before cleaning the beach

I have selected to photograph very dirty beaches in my vicinity, clean them and then photograph them after they are clean.
The planet is ageing in a very ugly manner; a walk on the beach in some areas is a depressing adventure,  the footprint of our consumption is everywhere. I have actually found tooth brushes, facial cream tubes, moisturizers, combs, hairspray cans and much more, spread on the most amazing beaches. Most of these items did not land on the beautiful sand because of the beach goers; they actually ended up on the beach through the sea and through city gutters.
As consumers, it is our responsibility to dispose of garbage responsibly, we can also help by purchasing only things we need and when we do purchase, don’t necessarily choose the cheapest, it is important to purchase items that will last and will not end up in the landfill after one use.

I started my B&A project a few months ago. I apply sunscreen (SPF 30) over my favorite antiaging moisturizer to keep my middle eastern skin protected, I wear long sleeve shirts even on hot days and I try to operate early in the morning or late afternoon. While cleaning, I always meet people that join the “party”, some help clean and some will help carry the bags to the nearest garbage collecting zone.
I must admit that since I have started looking closer at the garbage at the beaches, I am careful about avoiding taking bags when I shop and am vigilant about recycling bottles, batteries, cans and what ever can be recycled.
Help the planet avoid “ageing”, join the antiageing treatment for the beaches and areas around you by joining cleaning groups and by disposing of garbage responsibly.
Below are some photos of some cleaning projects I executed.

After cleaning, the beach looks so appealing

“A gradual and highly variable decline in the production of androgenic hormones and especially testosterone in the human male together with its associated effects that is held to occur during and after middle age but is often difficult to discriminate from the effects of confounding factors (as chronic illness, stress, or medication use) that can depress testosterone levels—called also male climacteric, male menopause, viropause”

Similar to females, some males experience the symptoms approximately around age 40 ±, (interestingly parallel to the “midlife crisis” men are linked with).  However not all males go through andropause.

According to an article by Duncan C Gould, published in the British Medical Journal, the term menopause is not suitable for men as it indicates a sudden drop in sex hormones however the drop in testosterone in males is gradual. Below a certain plasma level of testosterone, males might experience symptoms similar to female menopause; therefore, unfortunately, the term male menopause has been used too freely.

Studies demonstrate a decline in testosterone levels that begin in early middle age and then progresses in a linear fashion.  Concentrations of available testosterone decrease by as much as 50% between the ages of 25 and 75 years, and it has been suggested that as many as 50% of men over the age of 50 have lower levels of testosterone compared with peak early morning levels in young men. Lower levels of testosterone are linked to testicular trauma, hereditary factors, insulin levels and obesity. In addition excess intake of alcohol along with a stressful lifestyle are also linked to lower levels of testosterone.

Symptoms typical to drop in testosterone levels  are very similar to women’s menopause side effects and include:

Hot flashes and night sweats.

Mood instability and irritability

Loss of bone density

Restless sleep

Decrease in sex drive and erectile dysfunction

Increased body fat and decrease in muscle mass

Testosterone replacement treatment relieves many of these symptoms but does not help in most cases of erectile dysfunction and does not increase the sex drive.

When a male suffers any of the symptoms listed above it is a good idea to be tested to verify if these conditions are related to a disease or to a drop in testosterone levels. Drop in testosterone levels could also be a symptom of other diseases and should be addressed appropriately by a medical professional.

If indeed men suffer from menopause, or any other term you wish to use, it is obvious that the aging process in men and women is a decline in what our western culture views as the ideal of the youthful image. Men too lose body tone and gain excess fat in the abdominal area along with the drop in skin elasticity and appearance of wrinkles.

I believe that the sexual drive is also related to the image we have of our body. When we age, it is difficult to feel sexy if the image we see of ourselves in the mirror is far from the image portrayed by the media of the youthful sexy object. If we do not like our body as we age, how can we feel sexy and how can we be in touch with our sex drive?

One option of feeling better about our sexuality as we age is to take care of our body. It does take extra effort to keep up with the natural aging path. It is important to be physically active, eat healthy food, avoid the sun and keep a positive outlook on life. There are many non invasive methods available for treating the aging skin of men. These include antiaging creams and masks, and treatments that induce collagen generation along with skin tightening and fat reduction. Improvement in appearance can sometimes induce a better self image and help one feel better about his sexuality, hence increase the sex drive and alleviate some of the symptoms associated with aging, menopause, andropause, climacteric or viropause.

“An atom or molecule having at least one unpaired electron: free radicals are usually very reactive and unstable, and can damage healthy body cells “.

One group of free radicals which is a byproduct of mitochondrial oxygen metabolism processes is Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS).  The ROS group always contains Oxygen or Per Oxides and is highly unstable. ROS can also be generated as a result of ionizing radiation such as UV radiation.

Free radicals are constantly created in the body during normal metabolism, ROS play a major role in inter cell communication that govern basic cell activities and coordinates the cell’s reactions to its micro environment, for example, initiating the tissue healing process in cases of injury. They are also deployed by the immune system as a way to attack and kill harmful bacteria such as Acne bacteria, the reactive oxygen – O₂^- molecule is highly toxic and is actually deployed to destroy these bacteria and it is also an important component of “cell suicide” needed to remove cancerous cell, damaged cells or cells whose life span had reached its end.

The body deals with the free radicals, more specifically ROS, via specific enzymes that break them down or neutralize them or through Antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, Uric acid and more.  Antioxidants prevent oxidative reactions, often by scavenging ROS before they can damage cells.

Normally, the body can handle ROS, but if antioxidants are unavailable, or if the ROS production becomes excessive, damage can occur which is labeled “Oxidative Stress”. Of particular importance is that ROS damage accumulates with age. This can be as a result of increased ROS production combined with a decrease in cellular Anti Oxidant activity.

The market is flooded with antioxidants for anti aging in all forms, from specific juices, extracts and pills. It is a heavily used term when it comes to food advertising and of course in anti aging cosmetics.

But are antioxidents always good for you? Analysis of data from many studies demonstrated that use of large quantities of anti oxidants can actually cause harm and shorten life span. It can also interfere with cancer treatment and prevent the recovery process after strenuous exercise as the ROS actually remove damaged and cancerous cells.

Free Radicals do cause acceleration of skin aging. Exposure to UV, stress, smoking and alcohol can increase ROS levels in the skin. The free radicals will altar the structure of our proteins, therefore damaging the collagen and weakening cellular structure. Unfortunately research has not demonstrated that ingestion or topical use of Antioxidants can prevent or eliminate wrinkles or other effects of aging skin. Merely taking antioxidant supplements will not correct the loss of skin elasticity or make the facial skin look younger.

So what can be done to reduce the affect of free radicals on the aging skin?

First, avoid UV damage by avoiding exposure to sunlight during dangerous hours in addition always apply a sunscreen when out in daylight.  Avoid smoking and large quantities of alcohol. Consume a diet with abundant quantities of vegetables and some fruit (too much sugar is also not beneficial to skin), and find ways to reduce your stress levels.

One way of repairing the damage to the skin and to induce collagen regeneration is via treatments using the TriPollar RF technology. This treatment will stimulate the fibroblast to generate new collagen fibers and to produce a thicker and denser dermal layer therefore reducing the visible signs of aging skin caused by the aging process and by exposure to free radicals.

Even skin aging and wrinkles are associated with sugar consumption, so face it, there is no place for denial, any way you look at it…sugar is bad for you, too bad so many of us are  addicted to it…but how can one help the sugar addiction, when it adds that little sweetness and passion to life.

The cause of ill effects of sugar on the skin is the glycation process, in which the sugar in our blood attaches to protein molecules to form harmful new molecules called Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs). The more sugar consumed, the more AGEs are developed.

Many clinical studies have been performed on the effect of high level of AGEs on collagen. Studies have found that excessive AGEs will cause collagen in different areas to go through changes that eventually will cause the collagen to become brittle and in skin this will cause wrinkles and dry, dull, and sagging skin.

Not only this but excessive sugar is also associated with inhibition of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) activity, since HGH is associated with tissue repair and rejuvenation, obviously, this will affect the aging process too.

The good news is that it is not too late to turn back the clock. First, you can decrease the amount of sugar you consume (not only pure sugar but fruit and carbohydrates in general). In addition, it is possible to generate new collagen through stimulation of the fibroblast present in our dermis and hypodermis. Stimulation of Collagen skin regeneration can be induced via the TriPollar Radio Frequency technology. Tripollar treatments can also help reduce circumference. The apollo and regen are two TriPollar technology devices that induce secretion of liquefied fat from the fat cells in the hypodermis adipose layer, thus reducing their size and leading to a decrease in circumference along with added skin tightening. Unfortunately, treatment with these devices is not an alternative to exercise and diet if one is a sugar addict.

It is important to note that a sugar rich diet cannot be balanced by collagen regeneration or other anti-aging treatments as the accelerated aging caused by excessive sugar will cause damage to the new collagen generated too.

The bottom line is always a negative outcome to sugar consumption, even anti-aging treatments will not help the ill affects of sugar if we swallow the chocolate while we treat our skin for anti aging and wrinkled skin.