“I have been practicing dermatology in Israel for 22 years. I have seen over and over that people from North America and European countries, with fair skin, really anyone, who comes to live in Israel must be attentive to proper sun exposure in order to have healthy skin.”
Dr. David Friedman
Whether you are sunbathing on Israel’s gorgeous beaches in Tel Aviv, visiting Jerusalem’s amazing sacred sites, or going a stunning desert hikes, we at Dr. David Friedman Dermatology would like to remind you that you also need to take care of your skin. Israel’s melanoma rates are amongst the highest in the world. The high rate of skin cancer in Israel is because of the large number of people from Europe and North America, whose fair skin is vulnerable to the desert climate here. Here’s five tips for how to protect your skin here in Israel.
1. Prevent Sunburn
As we much as we love the sun, the most basic thing you can do to keep your skin healthy and youthful looking is to limit your exposure to the sun. Especially during the hottest hours of the day, from 10am-2pm, you should minimize their solar exposure in order to keep your skin safe and sunburn free.
2. Pick the right sunscreen
Choose a sunscreen with broad-spectrum protection, with a SPF of 30 or higher.
Re-apply sunscreen products every 2 hours. If you wear make-up, try a tinted sunscreen which can replace your need for makeup or apply liquid sunscreen over the makeup of your choice.
3. Gradual Sun Exposure
If you are not used to the hot Israeli sun, be careful to expose your skin to the new climate gradually. Extreme and sudden sun exposure can cause sunburn and skin damage.
4. Wear Sun Protective Clothes
Since UV damage is cumulative and irreversible, sun protective clothing is a physical barrier between your skin and the sun, blocking 98% of all harmful UVA and UVB rays that cause or contribute to skin cancer and directly to aging (brown spots, skin sagging and wrinkles).
4. Perform Regular Skin Checks
Look for any changes to moles, freckles or birthmarks. Additionally, monitor any new skin changes that have occurred. Use a mirror to evaluate hard-to-see areas, and have regular skin evaluations by your dermatologist.