Something ugly, and possibly dangerous, lurks beneath the golden pink glow of sun-kissed cheeks and beach-browned shoulders. It waits patiently, silently... sometimes for decades, under a veneer of loveliness. Then the day comes when the damage becomes visible, sometimes disfiguring, and irrevocable.
We are talking, of course, about the sun's damaging effects upon the skin. To anyone who has witnessed the ravages of skin cancer, a sunburned pink nose is not at all a thing of beauty, but rather a cause for concern. A burn is a burn, whether obtained by fire or by sun, and it damages the largest organ of the body, the skin. However, just as we still use fire's heat to cook our food and warm our homes, we do not have to shun the sun.
How to Sun
Getting a little sun on bare skin (without sun block) every day is actually essential, pursuant to recent studies, wherein it was found that the majority of individuals in the U.S. are deficient in vitamin D. Ten to twenty minutes (the maximum) of strong sunlight activates an entire day's dose of vitamin D (which is an essential component of a strong immune system), faster and more effectively than any food or supplement.
For those who participate in outdoor activities, enjoying warm sunshine and fresh air, there is no reason to relinquish such enjoyable activities as running, boating, sports, and biking for fear of sun damage. Rather, common sense should be used to best protect your skin.
A low-tech, low-cost way to identify such areas of sun damage requires a good light and a magnifying mirror. Look for blotches of uneven skin pigment, freckles, wrinkles, spider vessels (redness), or rough texture. These are signs of sun damage that accelerate the skin's deterioration by 10-20 years.
Best Ways to Address Sun Damage
It is never too late to start taking care of your skin. Now that you know how to safely sun, it is time to learn how to repair the prior damage. There are a myriad of home remedies, as well as professional treatment option available. Although home remedies are more affordable, professional treatments can deliver dramatic results.
At Home Professional
1. Rough Skin Exfoliant Chemical Peel
2. Enlarged Pores Exfoliant, Vitamin A Chemical Peel, Fraxel
3. Blotchy Skin Exfoliant Chemical Peel, Laser, Intense Pulse Light (IPL)
4. Redness Mineral Makeup Laser
5. Fine Lines/Wrinkles Vitamin A Fraxel, IPL, Radio Frequency
Exfoliant - polish your skin by removing the rough, dead cells with an over-the-counter product, or create your own mix by making a paste of oatmeal and water and gently scrub your skin. Be certain to rinse thoroughly.
Vitamin A - Retin-A® is a pharmaceutical skin therapy derived from vitamin A, however, recent studies show some positive and measurable results in the treatment of sun damage by using Vitamin A, itself. While the study administered daily doses of 75,000 IU with no toxic side effects, having a doctor monitor the treatment would be prudent.
Mineral Makeup - the finely ground minerals create a physical barrier that protects the skin without congesting the pores, and the minerals' reflective qualities provide the skin with a radiant glow.
Chemical Peel - diluted acids are used remove the top layer of the skin, revealing the new skin underneath, which is smoother and more even in appearance.
Fraxel Lasers - laser lights are used to penetrate the skin 코인카지노 and stimulate collegan renewal in the sub-dermal layers.
Intense Pulsed Light - this non-invasive therapy uses pulses of non-laser light targeting sub-surface skin to correct irregular pigments, freckles, and sun spots.
Radio Frequency - this non-surgical "facelift" tightens skin, and is recommended for those with mild cases of wrinkles or sagging skin.
Prevention is the best way to care for your skin, but forgetting a hat or sun block on occasion is not necessarily a cause for alarm. That said, it is important to address sunburns immediately. The rise in skin cancer is alarming, and it is a disease that is preventable.
Sun Tzu lived nearly 2500 years back, yet his theory of war is as potent today as it was during the earlier age. This points to the fact that the principles of war are universal and stand the test of time. In addition warfare is an art that needs to be studied. Sun Tzu's genius lies in the fact that in that bygone age he could lay down principles of war that are as relevant today as they were during his era. He also needs to be credited as the man who made the first references to guerrilla war. In discussing this aspect Sun Tzu says that highest excellence lies in subduing the enemy without battle. He disapproves of attacks on walled cities. Above all according to him, the most skill full mode of war is to subdue the forces of your opponent without a pitched battle. This is in a sense the essence of guerrilla tactics as later developed by Mao and later refined by Ho Chi Minh, General Gap and Che. In this he differs from Clausewitz, who felt that the most important thing in war will always be to defeat the opponents in combat. Though Clausewitz theory is valid to an extent as seen from the battles of Napoleon, yet the fact remains that Clausewitz and other Western theorists never thought of any hit and run war. In the modern context the Islamic jihadists have unwittingly taken a leaf out of Sun Tzu's theory and mounted a guerrilla operation against the western powers and their allies.
Sun Tzu also insists that in a large campaign numbers will eventually triumph for however furiously a small force fights the larger one is bound to take it. The second phase of operation 'Barbarossa' i.e., the invasion of Russia by the German Army got bogged down and resulted in a retreat because of massive numbers thrown in by the Russians. No amount of brilliance and fighting qualities could stem this tide. Motivation of the German soldier was high, but the tide of the Red Army could not be stopped. The US commanders operating in Afghanistan need to be made aware of this principle.
Sun Tzu has also discussed the general principles of tactics and campaigning itself. Among tactics he talks of enemy movements, intentions and studying of enemy line of battle. It is worthwhile to know that Sun Tzu says on the concept of battle 'Just as water has no constant shape, so war has no constant condition'. This is in essence the basic principle of war. It is important to remember that though technological developments have definitely increased the reach and scope of war, yet the basic concepts of warfare as laid down by the master cannot be ignored. Herein lay the mastery of Sun Tzu.