Being Tan is Cool. Having Healthy Skin is Cooler.

The largest organ of the human body is your skin, or epidermis, and as the first line of defense against all kinds of would be invaders it's one of the most important organs you have. What should you do with something that important? PROTECT IT! How? One way is to stay covered up or hide from the sun all together but if you're like me and lead an active lifestyle that's probably not possible. Your next best option is to wear sunscreen. Let me say that again. WEAR SUNSCREEN!!! I'm not a medical expert and my blog disclaimer will assure you of that but of all the advice I can offer, the most important for someone who exercises outside during daylight hours is to wear sunscreen.

As a Mission Athletecare partner I've spent a good amount of time with founder and president Josh Shaw developing skincare products that work, not just for the average person but also for athletes who have a greater need for protection due to the extremes they are exposed to. It's very important to me as someone who's spent twenty six years swimming outdoors to know that the product I put on my skin works. I'm not saying you have to buy Mission products, I'm just telling you what I trust my skin to on a daily basis and why. Ultimately whatever works best for you and your skin you'll end up using and that's what's important.

Before leaving my house for practice I apply a good base layer of Sun Defeated so that it has time to dry well before I get near the water. Once at the pool I apply a second layer just in case I missed any spots as well add a layer of No Sting Facestick to my face.  If I'm doing a dry-land workout immediately after getting out of the pool I reapply another layer of everything. This routine keeps me burn free even in the unforgiving Arizona sun.

For a sobering look at skin cancer facts visit the Skin Cancer Foundation or CDC websites and no matter how healthy you are, visit a Dermatologist regularly. Prevention is the best medicine.