It’s cold in winter, so you don’t have to wear sunscreen, right?  Wrong.  Actually, you need it more. In the winter, the sun is closer to the earth and its rays are even stronger.  Although it’s true that you’re outside for less time and are more bundled up when you are, your face and hands are still exposed to harmful rays.  The unfortunate message  from dermatologists everywhere is that is you don’t wear sunscreen year-round, you are more vulnerable to getting brown spots, fine lines and wrinkles on your hands and face.  Minimize your damage by wearing sunblock daily with at least an SPF 15.   Remember these sunscreen tips:

• UVA and UVB Protection: Choose a sunscreen that protects you from UVA and UVB rays, which both cause your skin to show signs of sunburn and age. Many sunscreens only protect you from UVB rays, so make sure the sunscreen you buy contains ingredients that protect you from both.  (The ingredient Parsol 1789, for example, filters out A and B.)
• Wear Sunscreen Indoors and Out.  Even if you’re inside, ultraviolet exposure can occur through windows and cause skin problems over the years.  Many people have extra sun damage on the left side of the face because of sun exposure through the driver’s-side car window
• Quality Counts: You may have to pay a little more for sunscreen that’s formulated for your face but it’s worth it.  These products are usually non-comedogenic, so they won’t clog pores, and they are lightweight and absorb quickly. 
• Don’t Play in the Snow Without It! Snow reflects about 80 % of the ultraviolet light that hits it.  For every 1,000 feet of elevation, ultraviolet exposure increases about 2 %.  So if you’re out skiing, skating, mountain climbing or sledding, you need at least SPF 30 to protect against the added exposure.
• Fly with It. Don’t forget to carry a small bottle of sunscreen with you to the airport.  The higher you are in the sky, the more UV radiation you’re exposed to.  That means the more potential you have for skin damage.  Apply a sunscreen of SPF 30 all over your face before leaving the gate. 

The hands show age as much if not more than your face. I’ve always taken care of my hands with countless manicures and the occasional glycolic peel, and I’ve bought too many hand creams that claimed to keep my hands moisturized and youthful. That being said, I still had bulging veins, dark spots, scars, crepe-like paper-thin skin on my hands (I know YUCK). So about six weeks ago I started using the same skin care regimen I use for my face, neck and décolletage on my hands. OMG!!! They have improved immensely. The skin tone is even; the bulging veins are barely visible, and most of my scars are nearly gone. Most importantly, my hands are hydrated and soft.

Last night I came across a wedding photo – you know the one with the bride and groom’s hands together to show off the rings – and compared it to my hands now. My jaw dropped! I knew there would be an improvement, but I never thought it would be this dramatic. My hands look younger than they did over six years ago. Imagine all these years and countless “specialty” hand creams later, I had the answer all along every time I treated my face -it was in the palm of my hand.

Try it!!! Take a before picture, try it for six weeks, and let me know your results. If you need help choosing a regimen for your face and hands send me an e-mail at mes.shannon@gmail.com, and I’ll be happy to help.

We all have different levels of pain tolerance. Different emotions about pain. And most of us know that a “deep tissue” massage may be exactly what we need.

But what if it hurts?

That’s a really good question.

When you go for a massage, talk with your massage therapist. Ask questions. Expect good answers.

Tell him or her if the pressure is too deep…or too light. It’s your body. You get to call the shots.

And then, too, there is something called “good pain.” (Sounds strange, huh?)

Good pain is when your body says: “That hurts; don’t stop!”

Your muscles know it is exactly the right pressure in the right place! So sometimes it may be uncomfortable to have a deep tissue massage but it feels appropriate and makes a big difference afterward.

Below is an article I thought you might enjoy. I like the part at the end that says you also have to stretch and strengthen between massage sessions. Where’s a good place to help you get started on strengthening? http://SimpleStrengthening.com (<– click here.)

Deep Tissue Massage Doesn’t Have To Hurt

We all know the stereotype of a deep tissue massage. You lay there defenseless while a Massage Therapist hammers at you with a mallet of fists and elbows, leaving you bruised, battered and wondering if you really just paid someone to abuse you for 60 minutes. While some Massage Therapist may use unnecessary or inappropriate force, other more experienced Massage Therapists know that Deep Tissue massages don’t have to be painful.

Deep Tissue massage can help break up scar tissue, eliminate adhesions, resolve trigger points, and relieve chronic patterns of muscle tension. Focus on a deeper level of musculature and connective tissue requires the patience of both the therapist and the client.

Tight muscles need to be coaxed into relaxation, before very deep strokes can be used. Long gliding strokes can be used to warm up the muscles and ease the client into a state of deeper relaxation. As the pressure slowly becomes deeper, the client’s pain tolerance will increase. After the muscles become softened and more pliable, the client will be able to withstand more pressure. At this point cross-friction techniques, muscle stripping and Trigger Point therapy can be applied without too much discomfort to the client.

It’s important to remain realistic when requesting a Deep Tissue massage; some people believe that if the therapist uses full force from beginning to end it will work out all their knots and muscle tension inside one session. In actuality, beginning with too much pressure will cause the muscle to contract, doing more damage than good. Success in Deep Tissue Therapy generally requires more than one session. The best approach to take when looking to treat chronic muscle tension is to have an ongoing schedule of not only Deep Tissue Therapy, but strengthening and stretching exercises as well.

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