When you have your own home, outdoor activities such as gardening and yardwork are pretty much inevitable. Although they can be grueling to others, to the right homeowner, these activities provide relaxation and a meaningful way to pass the time. Not to mention, they contribute to making your home look beautiful.
However, without the correct precautions, too much time spent outdoors can lead to your skin prematurely aging.
Premature Aging and the Outdoors
The primary cause of premature aging, especially for your skin, is ultraviolet radiation. Overexposure to these invisible components in sunlight can cause some of the following signs of aging:
- Premature wrinkling
- Crow’s feet
- Dry skin
- Skin discoloration
- Age spots
Aside from rapidly aging your skin, which might require Botox treatments and similar procedures to rectify, too much UV radiation can even cause skin cancer. It’s essential to your appearance and your well-being that when you’re working outdoors, whether on plants on building lawn improvements, that you protect your skin.
Here are four easy and practical ways you can ensure your skin is well-protected from anything that can cause premature aging.
1. Sunscreen
It’s always advisable to wear sunscreen whenever you have to go outdoors, especially if you have particularly sensitive skin. But not all sunscreens have the same level of efficacy.
For general usage, look for sunscreens that have a sun protection factor or SPF of at least 30. Also, check the label if it says that it’s a “broad-spectrum” sunscreen. That means that it can protect you from all types of ultraviolet radiation, particularly UVA, which is the type of emission that causes premature aging.
2. A Glass of Water
Don’t underestimate the effects of even short-term dehydration on your skin. Prolonged sunlight exposure doesn’t just leave you saturated with ultraviolet radiation. It also means you’re going to get hat up. The more moisture you lose to the sun, the less supple your skin is.
When working outdoors under the sun, always keep hydrated. A glass of water, a refreshing lemonade, or even a soda, will make all the difference.
3. Get Covered
Sunscreen isn’t the only way you can prevent sunlight from harming your body. Covering up as much of your skin as possible when working outdoors is essential to good skincare. Think of it as a secondary protective measure. Should you miss any spot on you with sunscreen, or if the sunscreen is rubbed away during your activities, you can count on additional barriers between you and the sun.
Wear a large hat or bonnet to protect your face and neck from ultraviolet radiation. Also, try to wear loose clothing with long sleeves to cover up your arms. Make sure the fabric is light enough that you won’t feel too hot. If you’re uncomfortable wearing pants or similar leg covering, make sure you apply enough sunscreen on them.
4. A Schedule
The best way to avoid ultraviolet radiation damaging your skin is to go out when there’s less of it. Generally speaking, ultraviolet radiation peaks between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., the noonday hours. Schedule all your gardening and outdoor work outside of these hours. Ideally, it should be either before eight in the morning and after four in the afternoon.
If you follow these tips and make regular appointments with trusted skincare experts, you should have no problem enjoying the outdoor air and the sunlight without sacrificing your glowing, healthy, and youthful skin.
