Concerned About Wrinkles, Brown Spots, and Leathery, Sun damaged skin?
We don’t want to spoil your summer fun and be party poopers – we can all have great looking skin and still enjoy the sun, when we get it!
Following the simple guidelines below, you can help to repair and even reverse these signs of skin aging, up to 90 percent of which are caused by the sun.
Overexposure to the sun’s dangerous ultraviolet (UV) light can also lead to skin cancer and pre-cancers like actinic keratoses (AKs). Since sun damage accumulates over time, it’s never too late to start a sun protection regimen.
British Skin Foundation Statistics
According to the British Skin Foundation, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the UK, and rates continue to rise.
At least 100,000 new cases are now diagnosed each year, and the disease kills over 2,500 people each year in the UK – that’s seven people every day.
On average, someone who dies from skin cancer typically loses 20 years of their life, and rates of malignant melanoma are rising faster than any other type of common cancer.
Preventing, Repairing and Reversing Sun Damage
Although most people know to wear sunscreen when the sun is beating down, protecting your skin from the sun does not end with the summer months. By carefully practicing sun protection year-round, you can prevent further sun damage and may even reverse some of the damage already done.”
Remember, even on overcast days when it is warm outside, it is still recommended to wear a sunscreen.
To help stop or even reverse sun damage and wrinkles:
1. Clothing should always be your first line of defence – sunscreen should be used in addition to clothes, including a hat, t-shirt and UV protective sunglasses.
2. Seek shelter – The sun tends to be strongest in the middle of the day, so find some shade typically between 11 am and 3 pm, especially if you are fair skinned. Just 10 minutes of strong sunshine is all it takes to burn pale skin.
3. Use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher – SPF stands for ‘Sun Protection Factor’ and refers to the level of protection against UVB radiation, linked to skin cancer.
Look for a four or ideally five star UVA rating on the bottle which will help protect from UVA radiation, associated with skin ageing. You may also find that the UVA rating is represented by the letters ‘UVA’ inside a circle. The sunscreen instructions should be followed carefully.
Babies and toddlers should be kept out of direct sunlight.
Sunscreen is one of the keys to radiant, youthful-looking skin. Daily use may even lower your long-term risk of skin cancer. By reducing your daily sun exposure, sunscreen allows your skin time to heal and your immune system the chance to repair some existing damage.
4. Exfoliate – The buildup of stratum corneum (the dead, outermost skin cell layer) can make skin appear blotchy and uneven. Also, remnants of self-tanning products can collect in typically dry areas (such as the elbows), causing the skin to lose its luster and appear “dirty.”
Loofahs, scrubs, products containing alpha hydroxy acids (AHA’s), and microdermabrasion creams/gels can remove dead skin cells, leaving skin looking smoother and younger looking.
5. Hydrate – Summer exposure to sun, chlorine, and salt water can dry out your skin. Try a hand and body cream, after sun, and facial moisturiser to combat dryness. These will not only help to replenish lost moisture, but they will also keep your skin in good condition by reducing inflammation, nourishing it, regenerating cell growth and reducing the effects of ageing.
Skin care products containing water, natural oils and botanical’s are far superior in this respect.
Body and facial oils/serums, although they do not contain water, will create a barrier, trapping existing moisture in your skin, preventing it from drying out, resulting in increased hydration. For increased hydration these oils/serums can be applied on to slightly wet skin, or to skin that has had cream applied to it.
Face masks containing beeswax and honey, although they don’t contain water, can be deeply hydrating. They will help to attract moisture to your skin, and retain any moisture it already has by trapping it inside.
Other skin care products, such as those containing alpha hydroxy acid’s (AHA’s) and bee venom, can instantly plump up dry skin, making it appear less wrinkled. Continued use can help stimulate the production of new collagen, a protein that helps give skin its texture and appearance.
6. Remove and lighten the brown spots – Skin lightener does not actually make the skin white; it simply helps to lighten accumulations of unwanted color. Skin care products containing aloe vera, alpha hydroxy acids, rosehip oil, and essential oils such as lavender and frankincense can promote a uniform distribution of melanin, and remove and lighten dark spots caused by sun exposure.
7. Nourish, and nourish again – Nourishing body and facial oils/serums/creams will feed your skin with all of the vitamins, amino acids and minerals it needs to combat and reverse sun damage and wrinkles.
Oils/serums in particular have a higher concentration of nutrients and pack a real punch.
Face masks containing beeswax, royal jelly and honey are also deeply nourishing.
Concentrated skin care products are packed full of nutrients, and in addition to your skin creams, they should form part of your skin care regime.
8. Avoid synthetic products if possible – Aftersun’s and body cream’s etc. which offer little in terms of natural, nutrient rich ingredients may hydrate your skin and feel cooling when applied, but will not nourish your skin, reduce inflammation, regenerate skin cell growth, or reduce the effects of ageing. Plus – they are toxic to your health!
