Sunscreen. It is the one product most people often forget from their daily beauty routines, yet it is ultimately the most important.
When you hear the acronym “SPF” or the word “sunscreen,” you may have flashback memories of your mother yelling at you at the pool to not forget to apply it in fear that you may turn into the dreaded red lobster. As we got older, the appeal of tanned and glowing skin became more of our desire instead of the awful “Casper” nickname that was sure to happen without a tan.
At Advanced Aesthetic Medical Spa, the most frequent complaint we hear from patients on the use of sunscreen is: “Sunscreen breaks me out! I can’t find any that don’t make me want to scratch my face off.” Our response to that is simple. The quality of your sunscreen really does make a difference. There are ingredients present in sunscreen brands such as Banana Boat and even Neutrogena that can irritate even the thickest of skin.
The ideal sunscreen will have both UVA and UVB protection. UVA rays are the “aging” rays, whereas UVB are the rays that “burn.” The key ingredients to look for in a sunscreen are Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. These important ingredients will do the job of actually blocking the sun’s rays and the sun damage that can result.
We always like to remind our patients to be mindful that a good practice with sunscreen is to reapply every two hours. Here at Advanced Aesthetics Medical Spa, we offer a variety of skincare lines. Each skincare line will have an option of SPF products to choose from. The SPF products will vary in texture, price, area of concern needing protection, moisture level, and tint.
EltaMD is a skincare line dedicated to making patients actually want to apply their sunscreen daily (yay for protection!). Their line is fragrance free, paraben free, and gluten free. These products do not cause irritation for even the most sensitive of skin and are even recommended for young children. This line has the widest range of options for both face and body protection at an affordable price.
The tinted sunscreens we carry and that are created to be worn daily on the face are:
- Elta Daily
- Ella Physical Broad-Spectrum SPF41
- ilissa by Gold, MD SPF45 Tinted Moisturizer Light
- ilissa by Gold, MD SPF45 Tinted Moisturizer Medium
- Neocutis Journee Bio-Restorative Day Cream
- Avene High Protection Tinted Compact SPF50 – Beige
- Avene High Protection Tinted Compact SPF50 – Honey
- SkinCeuticals Physical Matte SPF50
- SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF50
Our non-tinted sunscreens which also can be used daily are:
- SkinCeuticals Sheer Physical Defense
- Elta Pure Broad-Spectrum SPF47
- Ella Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF46
- Neostrata Matrix Support SPF30
- Nia24 Sun Damage Prevention SPF30
For the body, we carry these sunscreens:
- Elta Aero Broad-Spectrum SPF45
- Elta Sport Broad-Spectrum SPF50
- Elta Pure Broad-Spectrum SPF47
- Nia24 Sun Damage Prevention SPF30
Our friendly and knowledgeable licensed aestheticians at Advanced Aesthetics Medical Spa will always be available for a sunscreen and skin care consultation to help determine the best SPF for you and your needs. Please call one of our aestheticians at 615-383-3807 or email goldskin@goldskincare.preview.crystalcleardm.com for any further questions or to schedule a consultation.
By Amy Henderson, Licensed Aesthetician in Advanced Aesthetics Medical Spa
