Dr. Hill graduated magna cum laude from Howard Payne University and earned her MD from the University of Texas Health and Science Center at Houston. She completed her family medicine residency at Austin Medical Education Program in Austin where she was elected as the Chief Resident.
She pursued her dream of offering noninvasive facial cosmetic services when she joined Dr. Epker in 2011 at Facial Cosmetic and Wellness Center in Weatherford, Texas. Soon after joining Facial Cosmetic & Wellness Center, she started offering health and wellness services in addition to cosmetic services. Dr. Hill took over the practice in January, 2020.
Adequate sun protection is imperative for the overall look and health of your skin. Over one million people in the United States alone are diagnosed with skin cancer every year, but this can be easily prevented with regular and consistent suncare practices. Sunscreen is of the utmost importance when protecting against sun damage, skin cancer, and premature aging. Here’s what you should know about this essential skin care product.
It’s no secret that time spent exercising, playing, and relaxing in the great outdoors improves our physical and mental health. The sun provides our bodies with valuable vitamin D, which is crucial to all sorts of physical processes including sleep, digestion, metabolic regulation, energy, and mental clarity. However, we must enjoy the sun cautiously and with care because spending time outside also means sun exposure. The largest organ in our body, our epidermis, is constantly exposed to the sun’s damaging UV rays.
Fortunately, the invention of sunscreen and other sun protectants helps us safely and enjoyably embrace mother nature. You likely know the importance of sunscreen and have heard the host of benefits it has to offer. Here we examine just how important sunscreen is and how it works to protect your skin.
Sunlight is actually electromagnetic radiation made up of three types: UV radiation, visible, and infrared (also known as heat). UVA and UVB rays fall under the sun’s UV radiation category and are responsible for sun damage, skin cancer, sunburn, and tanning.
We’ve most likely heard of the harmful effects of these rays and how they induce premature aging, sun damage, and skin cancer. Sun damage comes in a variety of forms and often isn’t seen immediately. It takes time for the photodamage to build up in our cells and provide visible examples. Some signs of sun damage may include:
- Sunburn
- Age spots in dark brown, black, red, or white
- Fine lines
- Loss of elasticity
- Wrinkles
Unseen signs of sun damage are much more hazardous. Skin cancer can affect anyone, in fact, it’s the most common form of cancer in the United States. Basal and squamous cell carcinomas account for a greater majority of skin cancers, however, melanoma can still develop down the line.