Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson

sun protective clothing c/o Mott 50

Today I am teaming up with Ren Dermatology and Mott 50 to share tips on how to protect your skin from the sun.  I’ve always been told that with age comes wisdom and I definitely agree with that, especially as it relates to my personal decision to stop baking my skin and start protecting it from the sun.

As a child, I was always outdoors and I remember spending hours outside playing but I don’t remember sunscreen being an important part of my daily routine.  I’ve always idolized the sun…I wanted to have a tan and I can remember crossing my fingers for sunshine, especially during the summer, so I could spend time by the pool or at the beach working on my tan.  Don’t get me wrong, I know my parents put sunscreen all over me but it wasn’t a big topic of conversation as it is today.  During my teen years, and even my very early adult years, I would lay in tanning beds on a regular basis, spend my summers outside as a lifeguard or on the golf course as a beverage cart attendant, and spending every spare moment by the pool…again working on my “tan”.

It wasn’t until my honeymoon that I realized how badly I needed to start protecting my skin.  I suffered a very bad burn on my chest that ended up being pretty severe and painful and I also started to notice melasma on my forehead and above my lips.  I left our honeymoon in a bit of pain due to my burn and motivated to change my sun worshipping ways.

We returned to California, which is where we were living at the time and I immediately scheduled an appointment with a local Dermatologist.  I had never had a need to see a Dermatologist but I knew it was time.  I met with the Dr. and she immediately stressed the importance of using sunscreen each and every day.  We put a plan together, which also included having a laser treatment on my face to help with the melasma, and from that moment forward, I was determined to not only protect my skin but to transform it from many years of sun damage.  So in my mid 20’s the transformation began and I’ve been determined to care for my skin every since.  I always go in for a yearly checkup and have had several biopsies that have luckily only been precancerous.

Now that we live in Nashville, I regularly visit Ren Dermatology to ensure that my skin is healthy and that I’m using the right products not only to protect my skin but to also appropriately treat it as it ages.  Sun damage can be very unfriendly to your skin and overtime, the appearance of your skin will change if you don’t take measures to protect it.  I recommend starting early…the earlier the better!  Ren Dermatology has helped me improve my skin over the years and has also educated me on various high quality products that provide the type of protection that my skin needs.

Not only should you be protecting your skin with the right skincare products but you should also be taking measures to protect your skin with sun protective clothing.  If you haven’t heard of Mott 50, I highly encourage you to check out their site.  Their sun protective clothing is high quality, very stylish, and has UPF 50 in it.  Every garment is UPF 50 certified.  Not matter if you are wearing a swimsuit, a coverup, or even a cute dress during the summer months, Mott 50 has a great selection of sun protective clothing to meet your needs.  I especially love wearing their rash guards when spending long days on the beach and their coverups are great for days spent in the sun as well.  Typically you will also find me wearing a large brim hat to provide extra protection to my face and chest.

Here are a few tips you should take into consideration when protecting your skin during the hot summer months.

1.  ALWAYS wear sunscreen.  You should wear an SPF 30 or greater and you should also reapply every 2 hours.  It’s best to use a lotion to ensure complete coverage as spray sunscreens often times miss the mark.  Apply to every part of your body, where skin is exposed.  Wear a moisturizer with sunscreen in it every single day as well.
2. Consider wearing UPF 50 sun protective clothing…Mott 50 has some adorable options for both you and your little ones.
3. Seek shade when spending long hours in the sun.  Even when in the shade, you still need to wear sunscreen and/or protective clothing!
4. Consider wearing a wide brim straw hat…a hat that provides full coverage of your face as well as additional coverage for your shoulders and chest.
5. Limited your time spent in hot showers and baths.  Hot water strips your skin of its natural sun protective barriers and makes it more susceptible to a burn.  Keeping your skin moisturized on a daily basis is important as well.

What are some ways that you protect your skin or your family’s skin during the summer months?

As always, thanks so much for stopping by and I look forward to seeing you back here real soon!