Local physician advocates against harmful habits during UV Safety Awareness Month
Dr. Kristen M. Jacobs
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, using a tanning bed increases the chances of developing melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. July is UV Awareness month and Dr. Kristen M. Jacobs, aesthetic physician, best-selling author and owner of Ooh La La Spa, Anti-Aging & Wellness is advocating against harmful habits that can increase people’s exposure to ultraviolet rays.
“People think it’s okay to go into a tanning bed a few times a week or during the winter where they feel like they want a little bit of color on their skin,” said Dr. Jacobs. “People do not realize how harmful this is for not just the appearance of their skin, but their overall health. I always want to educate my patients about the dangers of ultraviolet rays and how they can trigger your skin cells to produce more melanin which can lead to dark sun spots.”
Sun damage can appear in many different forms. Brown spots, uneven skin tone and melasma are all signs of sun damage. Melasma is a condition where brown and brownish-gray spots show up on the skin, most often on the face. Premature wrinkling and sun damage are also caused by exposure to UV and can also be known as photo-aging, which can result in coarse, dry skin, freckling, skin discoloration, leathery skin and deep wrinkles.
“It’s okay to spend time by the pool and do the things you love outside, but make sure to wear a physical sunscreen of SPF 50 or more,” said Dr. Jacobs. “If you’re going to be out in the sun where most of your body is exposed, you need about a shot glass-sized amount of sunscreen to be adequately covered. I always recommend my patients to wear a hat, sunglasses and sun protective clothing to cover up. I want all of my patients to have healthy habits surrounding sunscreen and to know beauty and confidence does come from within.”
Physical sunscreen works as a shield to protect your skin from the sun, whereas chemical sunscreen works like a sponge and absorbs the sun’s UV rays. The easiest way to tell if sunscreen is chemical or physical is to check the label. In a physical sunscreen, the only active ingredients should be Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide. If you see any active ingredients other than those two, it is a chemical sunscreen that can contain other harmful ingredients.
Dr. Jacobs said sunscreen needs to be reapplied at least every two hours and that makeup with SPF in it will not protect you for a full day. Ooh La La Spa, Anti-Aging & Wellness offers tools for easy sunscreen reapplication as well as chemical peels, microneedling and HALO laser treatments that help the appearance of sunspots and reverse some damage from the UV rays.
About Ooh La La Spa, Anti-Aging & Wellness
Headquartered in Glen Carbon, Ill., Ooh La La Spa, Anti-Aging & Wellness is the number one medical spa in the St. Louis Metro East and the top provider of injectables in the metropolitan area. Kristen M. Jacobs, M.D., International Best-Selling Author of “Live Life Beautifully (With a Little Help)” Robert L. Wise, D.C. and their team offer an extensive line of state-of-the-art aesthetic medicine procedures based on the SCIN philosophy – skincare, collagen stimulation, injectables, and nutrition – as well as body and wellness services. Dr. Jacobs is also the owner and founder of Aesthetic Resource & Training Academy, where she teaches others the intricacies of aesthetic medicine and safety of injecting. Dr. Jacobs is also an Allergan Medical Institute faculty member, trainer and speaker. She is one of only a handful of select, certified trainers for Allergan (a world leader in medical aesthetics). To learn more, visit www.kristenjacobs.com.
