"Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you."  

—  Walt Whitman      

Truer words have never been spoken; however, always in life there are unintended consequences. There might not be a better feeling than the early morning sunshine on a new spring day caress your face. But then again, too much of a good thing might not be good.

It is vitally important to remember that when you are going out in the sun, you are taking a risk. Despite its beauty and your desire to enjoy the warmth, the sun can pose some serious risks. In addition to prematurely aging your appearance, the sun's rays may likely damage your skin and increase the risk of skin cancer. Unless you are wise enough to take a few simple precautions. 

Years and years ago, almost everyone would bask (or actually bake) in the sun for hours and not only without sun screen; actually put baby oil or coconut oil on their sensitive and fragile skin! Most everyone would agree that having a nice tan and "glow" is very desirable.

Follow these simple six tips to avoid permanent and serious damage to your face and skin:

1. Wear a Hat - the broader the brim, the better! Baseball style hats are cool but do not cover the ears. 
2. Seek Out Shade - often there is not much (if any) shade or tress on a beach or beside a swimming pool. Bring an umbrella or an inexpensive pop-up canopy. Be sure to especially get your legs and feet out of the sun.
3. Wear Protective Clothing - Long sleeves with tall collars work best. You will still get sun damage but at least you're trying and you will actually stay much cooler than in short sleeves or worse no sleeves.
4. Avoid the Hottest Time of The Day - Plan your outing in the sun so that you will be under shade during the suns peak hours and drink lots of water. 
5. Wear Sunscreen - and most imperative is to keep reapplying it every two hours. Even indirect sun will still potentially burn you and cause serious problems and illnesses. 
6. Wear Sun Glasses - ideally wear higher quality pairs that block 99% of both UVA/UVB radiation. But even cheap sunglasses are much better than none at all. And the larger the frames the better! Buy oversized and do not be mislead in believing that darker lenses protect better. The dark sunglasses are stylish but do not block more UV rays. 

Even if you practice safe sun behaviors all year long, there may come a time when you need professional dermatologist care. Consider calling or emailing Derm Texas for expert advice about your particular skin type and for superior burn treatment solutions designed just for YOU! So please don’t wait until it’s too late; Let Derm Texas be your sun safety advisor!

The above is general information and discussion about medical, cosmetic and surgical dermatology. The words and other content provided above, and in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, he or she should consult with an appropriately-licensed dermatologist or other health care worker. Derm Texas Spa images, brochures, descriptions of procedures, websites and other advertising material are intended solely for illustration examples of our services and products and do not represent our patient or any individual or results.