Sunscreen – Its Importance
I would like to start by introducing myself, my name is Annamaria, the medical Esthetician for Dr.Tong here at the Yorkville Institute of Plastic Surgery and I will be writing from time to time regarding our lovely skin care products as well as the many treatments that we offer. Our clinic stands out from the rest because it is not only a full medical clinic that customizes and tailors each treatment for each individual skin condition or concern but we incorporate a variety of treatments in one session. We love to pamper and indulge our clients with luxurious serums that treat conditions such as Rosacea or acne but are also highly effective as anti-aging creams. For my first blog and probably the most important one, I will be discussing the importance of SPF. I have come across many clients that choose not to use/wear sunscreen and repeatedly I cannot help but to stress the fact that it is detrimental to your skins health. We tend to forget how crucial SPF can be in our regular daily skin care routine. It is also very important to realize that we need sun protection both in winter and summer months. Surprisingly the sun’s rays bounce off the snow and reflect onto our skin, causing damage just at a slower rate. In my opinion, sunscreen is the #1 anti-aging product on the market. It protects you from both UVA & UVB rays that are extremely damaging and causes premature aging. Looking at the ingredients is very important when choosing an SPF as the Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide are 2 key ingredients in properly protecting your skin. In addition, finding the right consistency can also make you change your mind about spf if you’re not currently using one. Sometimes spf can feel heavy on the skin depending on brand, therefore, if you are an oily skin type you may want to find a oil-free, lightweight spf such as our Elta spf 40 or 45 as it is oil-free, very sheer and still offers a great UVA & UVB protection. Over the years we can accumulate a great deal of sun damage and for that we offer a variety of treatments, but without including the daily spf protection you would be forfeiting all progress made from those treatments. I highly suggest a combination of treatments such as chemical peels to begin the exfoliating process to shed all dead skin cells and then a series of IPL treatments to remove sunspots and of course daily use of SPF! In order to eliminate sun damage it does take time and one treatment alone could never possibly erase all signs of past sun exposure. If you are considering treatments, here at Dr. Tong’s office you are always guided in the right direction and will feel reassured as far as which treatment is best suited for you and the intervals of treatments. Now that summer is just around the corner, we need to keep in mind that our SPF should be our best friend and always keep it on hand. Remember that applying your sunscreen only once a day is not enough especially if you are outdoors for the majority of your day. Re-applying will ensure that you have adequate coverage throughout the day and deter you from getting new sun damage. If you should have any questions or to book a complimentary consultation to discuss further these and or many other treatments or products that we offer, feel free to call us at
416-972-0999 and we will gladly book you an appointment.
