Here in the Northern Hemisphere, it's the middle of summer. 

That sets off the annual argument over your skin's beauty and how to protect its health from sunlight.

I grew up around a swimming pool in the summer, so I know many women - my mother was certainly one - believed a tanned, brown skin enhanced their beauty.

But dermatologists now warn people of all skin colors to shield their skin from sunlight. Ultraviolet radiation damages it, these doctors say - and ultimately can cause skin cancer.

The darker your skin, the less at risk you are because melatonin protects skin, but UV rays can cause DNA damage to all skin cells.

Three million Americans suffer skin cancer every year.

Although a bronze tan can enhance your beauty, if that's what you like, too much tanning can prematurely age your skin. Over the years at the pool, I definitely saw many women with highly wrinkled, leathery skin.

The Danger of Sunscreens

All we hear these days is the advice to not dare go out into sunlight without slathering sunscreen over every square inch of your body.

But what does that do to you?

The most common sunscreens on the market, such as oxybenzone, work by absorbing the sun's UV radiation.

According to a recent study by the FDA, at least six of the most common chemicals used in sunscreens get absorbed into your bloodstream - even when you apply it only once.

The FDA studied lotions and three types of sprays. When they tested the blood of their subjects, they found the chemicals in their blood in amounts from six to 500 times the FDA's safety threshold.

While the FDA (and the American Academy of Dermatology) refuses to say these chemicals aren't safe, there are indications they're associated with liver and kidney problems, and disruption of hormones.

Clearly, relying on typical commercial sunscreens is not going far enough to protect your beauty and your health.

Fortunately, there's another kind of sunscreen available.

Back in those days, many women who loved to sunbathe (including my mother) protected their faces, especially their noses, with a white cream.

It was zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. These contain minerals that block the sun's light.

According to the FDA and the Environmental Working Group, both mineral sun blockers are safe and effective. They don't go into your skin and your blood. They just sit on your skin, shielding it from sunlight.

The War over Vitamin D

Some experts say the current advice to avoid sunlight is why so many people are deficient in Vitamin D. Most people make most of their Vitamin D from sunlight landing on their bare skin. 

Cut off the sunlight, and you're short on Vitamin D.

The truth is, nobody knows the optimum amount of sunshine, because we're all different. The darker your skin, the more you can tolerate exposure to UV rays - and the more sunshine you need to make healthy amounts of Vitamin D.

When you have enough Vitamin D, your body stops making and storing Vitamin D - but it doesn't ring a bell to tell you to get out of the sunlight.

Why are You Out in Direct Sunlight Anyway?

This sounds obvious, but nobody says it.

As a kid I lived at the pool without giving any thought to my skin's health, but spent 90% of that time in the water. It was my mother and other women who laid out in the sun for hours at a time to get tanned.

No law says you have to do that. Take advantage of the natural form of sun protection called "shade." 

Sit underneath beach umbrellas, carry parasols and wear hats with wide brims to shield your face. 

Hang out with friends around a table - shielded by a large canvas.

Now if I go to the beach, I wear a lightweight t-shirt to protect my back and shoulders. 

Avoid sunlight when it's at its most intense: from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. At many tropical beaches, local people swim only when early in the morning or late in the evening. It's cool to swim in the ocean during a magnificent sunset.

Also, avoid useless UV radiation exposure by not going to tanning salons.

Whatever You Do . . . 

Avoid sunburn. There's no controversy here. Getting burned by the sun damages your skin, and makes you more susceptible to skin cancer.

The lighter your skin, the more careful you must be, even if you do apply commercial sunscreens.

Stay in the sun only for short periods of time at first, then increase the time slowly as your skin gradually darkens with a tan.

Carotenoids and Antioxidants Protect Your Skin from UV Rays

The carotenoids lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene work hard to protect your eyes from sunlight damage, and now scientists believe they do the same for your skin, especially combined with antioxidants.

Foods high in these carotenoids include: dark green leafy vegetables such as Swiss chard, spinach and kale; peas; summer squash; broccoli; carrots and pistachios.

Most Americans get most of their lycopene from tomatoes. Cooking doesn't damage it, so red sauces are a good source as well as raw tomatoes. Watermelon also contains lycopene, and tastes delicious and refreshing on a hot summer day.

A Polypodium Leucotomos Supplement May Help

That's a tropical fern, and its extract also protects skin from UV damage. In one clinical trial, participants taking this extract before exposure to sunlight had an 84% decrease in DNA damage.

Other researchers advise taking an extract of Sicilian red oranges. It reduced sunburn intensity by 35%. Therefore, it seems to protect your skin from aging because of exposure to sunlight.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lutein-and-zeaxanthin

https://www.naturalgrocers.com/health-hotline-article/carotenoids-rescue-enjoy-sun-again

https://www.sciencebasedhealth.com/ContentPage.aspx?WebpageId=258

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19168000/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D0SW35uvq0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwIMDHC5VlA