Too much is not a good thing…
Feeling the warmth of the sun on our backs generally makes us feel good about the world. We also need sunlight to produce vitamin D, which is essential for strong bones and our general health. However, there is an obvious downside to too much. Sun damage occurs in our dermis and this is not just caused by sunbaking or using a solarium. Sun damage can occur anytime you are outdoors – at work, when walking, gardening or playing sport.
Understand your skin concern or jump straight to the recommended product regimes below (click here).
The areas of our skin that are exposed to sunlight (UV radiation) are then disposed to photo-aging. UV light is absorbed by the skin which produces oxidation, and this results in long-term cellular damage with the creation of free radicals. Cell walls are weakened, inhibiting healthy functioning. The cell may die or its make-up is changed. An example of this is to change into what you see as a pigmentation spot. There are many cellular changes made at this deep level before we actually see these brown areas on the surface of our skin. Once a cell has changed, it is very difficult to recreate its healthy state, as damaged cells have changed DNA; although there is dermal cell turnover every 28 days, the new cells are also damaged.
Ageing Symptoms of Sun Damage
An increase in cell death causes the dermis (where everything is alive in your skin) to be thinned and a decrease in the amounts of collagen and elastin holding everything together. This leads to a decrease in the water-holding capacity both in and around the cells and so your skin becomes:
- thinner at first and then appears thicker with more sun damage. This is the leathery look from the buildup of the keratin layer as the body tries to protect itself from more damage.
- coarse, dry, loose and saggy as the collagen layer thins.
- pigmented with uneven tone and darkened areas as increased amounts of melanin are produced as the cells try to naturally protect themselves.
- wrinkly as damage causes cell renewal to slow even more than with the natural aging process.
- lined with visible capillaries as the smallest blood vessels become deformed and are more visible from thinning of the skin.
- more likely to develop skin cancers of all varieties.
Did you know that having healthy skin on the inside slows the visible signs of aging on the outside?
How do you slow sun damage and the visible signs of aging?
Avoid exposure – whatever the season and the weather:
- Slip, slop, slap.
- Avoid outside activities during the middle of the day.
- Choose to use sunblocks rather than sun screens. Sunblocks act like a barrier to the sun’s rays. They adhere to the skin’s surface and reflect the rays away from the skin rather than absorbing them. They are more water resistant, less allergenic and won’t clog pores. SPF is determined by a mathematical equation relating to the time taken for a chemical sunscreen to absorb UV light in the skin, so sunblocks cannot be given an SPF. Their equivalent is SPF 30+. Sunblocks usually contain some or all of these ingredients:
- titanium dioxide
- zinc oxide
- zirconium oxide
- Wear a good quality mineral make-up.
- Avoid chemical sunscreens. Chemical sunscreens absorb UV light within the skin and carry the chemicals in the bloodstream; they have been found up to 72 hours after application in the liver. Chemical sunscreens may contain any of these ingredients:
- para-aminobenzoic Acid (PABA)
- octyl methoxycinnamate
- oxybenzone
- butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane
- benzophenone
- avobenzene
What can I do if I already have sun damage? It’s never too late to start……..
- cover-up
- eat well and drink plenty of water
- avoid smoking
- use a skin care regime that includes safe, nourishing, transdermal (able to penetrate) serums and creams that are based on topical stabilised antioxidants and Vitamin A that are of medical strength.
- Avoid skin products and makeup contaning toxic-chemicals.
- have regular skin treatments such as the DermaFrac
Best Selling Skin Care Options For Sun Damage
The products below need to be slotted into an existing program of care including cleanser, antioxidant serums, Vitamin A serums and moisturisers-SPF’s. Please note that pigmentation is very complex and your vigilance will be needed to control it for as long as it is a problem for you.
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CosMedix Simply Brilliant Brightening Serum
$119.00 – $218.00
Program of care: for relatively normal skins
- Cleanse – CosMedix Benefit Clean or Osmosis MD Purify AM/PM
- Antioxidants – CosMedix Affirm or Osmosis MD Replenish AM/PM
- Sun protection – CosMedix Hydrate+ AM
- A vitamin A from the Osmosis MD range: Calm, Correct or Renew PM intially increasing to AM as well after 4 weeks
- Add Osmosis MD Catalyst AC11 and Osmosis MD StemFactor when your skin is beginning to respond to the Vitamin A
Program of care: for mature, sensitive, very dehydrated, irritated skins
- Cleanse – Cosmedix Benefit Clean or Aspect Dr Mild Clean or Osmosis MD Cleanse
- Antioxidants – Osmosis MD Replenish
- Vitamin As in order of strength starting with Calm or CosMedix Serum 16 PM
- For dryer skins – Aspect Dr Redless AM and/or PM after serums and before creams
- Osmosis MD Quench or Aspect Dr Resveratrol or Aspect SMC (super dry skins) PM
- Sun protection – Cosmedix Hydrate+ (SPF) +/- CosMedix Rescue mixed together
Still not sure?
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