Understanding Sun Damage
Let’s face it – sooner or later, sun-damaged skin affects everybody to some extent.
But what does the term sun damage mean?
Put simply, it is skin ageing – accelerated by the effects of the sun. Yes, this includes wrinkles, and age spots, blotches, redness, broken capillaries, uneven skin surface and loss of skin tone – all those things you would rather prevent or reverse.
Sadly, these are all the long-term effects of what may present today as your lovely-looking ‘golden tan’.
But did you know that the presence of a tan is already evidence of skin damage?
Let’s look at just how the sun damages your skin.
The culprits are actually invisible to the naked eye: the sun’s ultraviolet, or UV rays. UVA and UVB rays, to be exact. Both these types of UV rays penetrate the upper layers of your skin.
Over time, UVA rays destroy collagen, which acts like scaffolding in your skin. And when collagen wears down, your skin develops wrinkles. UVA rays are also responsible for other signs of ageing, such as rough skin texture, uneven tone and blotchiness.
UVB rays are yet more damaging to the skin. They penetrate deeper, cause sunburn and damage your DNA. The skin activates melanocytes which release melatonin pigment to defend itself from UVB rays. The presence of a tan indicates that skin damage has already occurred. That’s even before the redness, inflammation and pain of a full-blown sunburn.
Your body can repair itself to a point. But over time, it becomes less able to repair the sun-caused DNA damage. In the end, this affects not only the aesthetic look of your skin, but its health.
But there’s no need to declare the sun as your enemy. Your body needs sun exposure to naturally create Vitamin D. This vitamin is vital for your bone, heart and general health.
So it’s a matter of striking the right balance: protecting your skin from the sun through allowing slight unprotected sun exposure.
How much exposure is OK? It all depends on your skin type (fair skin is more prone to damage) and the amount of UV in your environment. When checking the weather, find out the expected UV index for the day. You can generally expose your skin directly to sunlight for somewhere between 5 – 30 minutes per day.
How To Prevent Yourself From Sun Damage
While there are ways to heal your skin from sun damage, preventing sun damage from occurring in the first place is key.
It’s a matter of developing good habits around sun exposure. This begins with using sunscreen each day. Make it a part of your routine, just like brushing your teeth.
When it comes to selecting a sunscreen, take into account your activity for the day and the season. In the Australian summer when UV rays are extreme, use a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF) such as SPF50+. If you are playing sports or swimming, use a water-resistant sunscreen.
Whatever kind you use, remember to re-apply the sunscreen after a few hours or as needed.
In wintertime when you plan on mostly spending your days indoors, use a moisturiser with a low SPF rating – such as SPF15.
Also, ensure that any sunscreen you use gives broad-spectrum protection. This means that your skin is protected from the harmful effects of both UVA and UVB radiation.
But don’t rely solely on sunscreen to protect your skin. To help prevent skin damage from the sun, there are other measures you can take.
These include:
- Wearing a hat to protect the skin on your face and neck.
- Wearing protective clothing to limit the skin surface directly exposed to the sun
- Seeking out shade whenever available
- Avoid going out into the sun during peak UV hours – typically between 11 am and 2 pm.
You may be concerned about the effects of skin damage from the sun on your face. But it’s important to protect other areas of your body which are also prone to sun damage, including the neck, décolleté, hands, forearms and legs.
Treating Sun Damage – Skin Treatments
There are several treatments available for sun-damaged skin.
If you have been sunburnt, in the first instance, you could use a cooling, calming topical cream. Creams containing aloe vera and cucumber are particularly soothing for red, inflamed skin.
If you are looking to reverse sun damage to your face or body, there are several types of salon treatments available.
Laser therapy is great for mild to moderate sun damage. Medical-grade chemical peels are more intensive and help reverse wrinkles, sagging, and other signs of sun damage. Or you can have a platelet rich plasma treatment using the platelets in your own blood to stimulate skin regeneration.
The treatment depends on the severity of the damage to your skin and your budget. Our professional therapist can assess your skin and recommend the type of treatment (and the number of sessions needed) for best results.
As you focus on repairing the sun damage to your skin ongoing, use a skincare brand designed specifically to address sun damage.
How To Maintain Healthy Skin
To preserve your skin’s health and youthfulness, make sun protection an ongoing habit.
Consider using specialised skin care to not only help reverse damage to your face and body, but to prevent future damage. Exfoliating your skin regularly is also helpful.
Furthermore, having a healthy lifestyle can make an enormous difference to your skin. Maintain healthy skin by drinking plenty of water, eating healthy food, and getting adequate rest and sleep.
Conclusion
No matter what your age, it is never too late to develop good habits around preventing and treating sun damage.
Be intentional about limiting sun exposure and use appropriate skin care products to prevent skin damage. To boost your skin maintenance efforts, schedule regular salon treatments. And enjoy the confidence and natural beauty you get from having beautiful, healthy skin.
To find out more about healing your skin from sun damage, contact us at Regenerer for a skin assessment and consultation.