COLUMBUS, Ohio — Your spring break could be filled with fun in the sun. Before you head to break, make some adjustments now to protect your skin.
The fun of a getaway is escaping the routine of work and school but not necessarily your skincare.
Dr. Shari Hicks-Graham of Downtown Dermatology advises her patients to use TSA-compliant bottles filled with products they normally use each day.
Vacation, Dr. Hicks-Graham said, is not the time to try something new on your skin.
“In many cases, people will come back from vacation and say I went away and I tried this new product while I was gone," she said. "Now I have this rash on my face or made them more sensitive to the sun.”
Dr. Hicks-Graham offers three recommendations for the care of your skin: starting with a gentle cleanser, avoiding the overuse of exfoliant products, and using sunscreen year-round.
Dr. Hicks Graham said everyone should use protection in the sun,
“Regardless of skin type, tone, or color-- how much melanin you have or do not have-- everyone should wear sunscreen,” she said.
There is also a plant-based dietary supplement that can be used with topical sunscreen, called “Heliocare." If used properly, it is an effective way to protect your skin against photoaging.
"Really, you want to take it about an hour before you go out in the sun,” Dr. Hicks-Graham said. “Then you can take it again in the evening if you've been out for very long.”