Acne Magazine : Skin Care, Tips, Treatment Reviews

I know I harp on the subject of sunblock a lot, and this is just the annual reminder, since we are officially in the month of June, when people who live in states like mine (Ohio) are going to most likely experience a lot more sunshine but most likely not yet the blistering temperatures that remind us wearing sunblock is a necessity no matter what the temperature, as long as the sun is shining. 

Don’t get me wrong, I think sunshine is a wonderful thing, and it is vital to us producing a naturally occurring vitamin that is created through sunlight exposure, Vitamin D.  Vitamin D is a vital ingredient to our health, and there are also numerous studies showing that substantial levels of this vitamin may help prevent certain types of cancers as well as other grave illnesses.  So to say the least, I think some sunshine is very important. 

In fact, many researchers are saying that a little sun exposure, maybe fifteen minutes or so a couple times a week sans sunscreen may be in order, but those really fair skinned people need to even watch that, because burning undoes the good of the Vitamin D production.  No matter what, you ALWAYS want to protect your face from the sun’s rays.  Especially for acne sufferers. 

And yes, there are now plenty of good, non irritating and noncomedogenic sunscreens on the market that are both great moisturizers and excellent blockers of sun that will prevent aging as well as help protect the skin from the drying sun’s rays, which also can exacerbate oil production and make acne scars look worse and be more permanent. 

Right now I’m using a L’Oreal facial sunblock with an SPF of 15, which is noncomedogenic and also happens to illuminate the skin at the same time.  I recommend buying special facial sunblocks instead of putting an all over the body sunblock on your face.  This way, you don’t have to worry about a greasy look or feel, and you certainly shouldn’t have to worry about the sunblock causing a breakout.

You can look for the label “oil free” on facial sunblocks too, but most of them automatically will not have oil if they are especially for the face, unless they are specially made for mature skin.  Just remember, the sun may look like it’s helping with your acne, but in fact, it’s only covering the problem and actually making your oil glands work over time.  I can’t tell you how many times I burnt my face in my teens, only to find a massive breakout follow, with whiteheads peeking through the redness – not pretty!