As spring brings warmer weather and sunshine, it’s important to protect your skin and any surgery scars from the sun, especially the first year after surgery. If scars have too much direct exposure to the sun, they can burn or tan and become permanently discolored.
Here are a few tips for keeping your skin safe:
Wear an item of clothing over scars
Any item of apparel made from fabric with intrinsic SPF will protect your skin and scars. For maximum effectiveness, wear clothing with an SPF 50 equivalent. One of our favorite sun protection care brands is Coolibar.
One of Dr. Tull’s favorite products is Silagen Silicone Gel for Scars with SPF 30. It combines the protection of SPF with the scar fading and smoothing benefits of silicone. We carry this in the office.
Apply sunscreen every two hours
To be truly effective when you’re outside and active, apply sunscreen every two hours. We recommend using sunscreens with a physical block—one that sits on top of the skin and reflects sun rays—instead of a chemical-based product. We recommend applying an SPF 30 moisturizer as your base (applied in the morning). Dr. Tull personally uses SkinMedica’s Total Defense + Repair which both protects and repairs the sun’s damage. We carry this product in the office and it can also be ordered through our website.
Be prepared for touch-ups
Be sure to reapply sunscreen and pay special attention to your scar while out in the sun. For a refreshing and simple solution, keep a misting spray sunscreen in a cool place and apply periodically. We also recommend keeping a zinc sunscreen stick handy in your pocket or purse to readily protect any new scars. We love touching up with a powdered sunscreen like Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Brush-On Shield throughout the day. We carry this product in the office.
As you spend more time outside this spring and summer, be sure to protect yourself and any new scars from the sun with these tips.
