Summer in Israel

The summer in Israel is known to be very hot and sunny. Going to the beach, outdoor sports, and playing in the sun are common activities in the summer. While all of these activities can be good for vitamin D production, they can also be harmful and damage one's skin. Some side effects can be as bad as skin cancer, while some can cause cosmetic damage like wrinkles and aging.

Actinic keratosis

Actinic keratosis is also known as Solar keratosis is a very common skin condition caused by exposure to the sun. Actinic Keratosis causes rough scaly patches of skin (usually on the head of the face). Although they are usually harmless, in some cases, it can lead to skin cancer.

Skin cancer

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and worldwide. 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70. Having 5 or more sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma. While these statistics are scary, skin cancer is very preventable. Wearing sunscreen on a daily basis can lower one's risk of skin cancer significantly (for example it can lower your chance of Melanoma by 50%).

Aging

Aging is a fate that most people want to postpone as long as they can while they can. Extensive exposure to the sun (without sunscreen) can cause wrinkles and aging. It's estimated that 90% of skin aging is due to the effects of the sun! The sun causes proteins in our skin to deteriorate, leading to the loss of our youthful appearance over time. This can be prevented by wearing sunscreen with at least 15 SPF or face cream with SPF. The face cream is a good solution because it has chemicals that can help against aging and it has SPF that will protect against sun exposure.

Conclusion

Many teens and young adults undermine risk and don't take care of themselves when they are young because they don't see the effect it can have in the future. However, this is the time to act and take care of your skin. If you take care of your skin when you are young, you are more likely to prevent many skin problems and aging in the future.