This amazing story was presented in the New England Journal of Medicine. The story is of a 69 year old man who drove a truck for 28 years. After many years of exposure you can clearly see the effects on his facial skin of wrinkling and aging. His left face was exposed to the sun whilst driving every day! This is an amazing picture of what the sun can do to you.
- Cover up. Rip a sleeve off of an old shirt and keep it in the car’s glove compartment; when you’re wearing short sleeves or a tank top, slip it over your arm.
- Wear sunscreen on your face, neck and left arm when you’re driving. Some experts advise people to wear a thick, visible layer of sunscreen, rather than rubbing it into the skin. While that may be unrealistic if you are dressed for business or a nice lunch, do apply some sunscreen to vulnerable areas.
- SPF 30 is your best bet. Sunscreen labeled SPF 30 provides 97 percent protection sun damage.
- Forget sunning for vitamin D. Unprotected sun exposure isn’t safe, period. Take a vitamin D supplement and use sunscreen every time you’re outside, even on a cloudy day.
- Don’t forget your shades! Americans don’t protect their eyes very well: a recent study found that 66 percent of us leave our sunglasses behind when we go to the beach, pool or parks, even on sunny days. Yet 17 percent of us get a cataract in at least one eye. Sunglasses lower the risk of getting cataracts.