Derm RF

Habits that Haunt

November 23, 2011 at 2:07 am Derm RF

Post-Traumatic Sunscreen Disorder (PTSD)

Does thinking about applying sunscreen to your face send chills up your spine? If the fear of experiencing the stinging, burning and redness you’ve endured in the past when applying sunscreen is causing you to avoid that daily dollop of sunscreen so essential to maintaining a healthy, youthful complexion, then you may have post-traumatic sunscreen disorder.

While understandable, your sensitivity to sunscreen is not what it seems. You’re actually reacting to individual chemical ingredients and not simply allergic to sunscreen as a whole. To avoid this reaction in the future, look specifically for sunscreens that feature mineral-based ingredients like zinc and titanium dioxide. Not only are they gentler than your average sunscreen, but these ingredients are compatible with sensitive skin, last longer and are considered more efficacious.

Entry filed under: Habits that Haunt. Tags: .