Every skin expert says you need sunscreen. But what else can you do to avoid photoaging?
While a day in the sun may feel good for the soul, it’s wreaking havoc on your skin. Yes, it can give you cancer (so please wear sunscreen), but it can also lead to photoaging of skin.
If your soft dewy look is slowly being invaded by wrinkles and pigmentation, keep reading to find out why this is happening and how to combat it.
Skin with Sun Damage
When people talk about “skin sun damage", they're generally referring to the impact that ultraviolet (UV) light has on the skin. Sunlight emits invisible UV rays. There are 3 wavelengths of UV light: UVA, UVB, and UVC.
They all cause damage to the body’s DNA and can lead to skin cancer.
But it isn’t only skin cancer from sun damage you need to be worried about—although it’s the best reason to stay sun safe.
UV exposure also makes you look older faster. This process is known as photoaging.
Photoaging of Skin
Time will age your skin. That much is inevitable. But the sun is responsible for up to 90 per cent of skin aging (someone grab the SPF30 now, please!)
How old your skin looks is directly proportional to how much time you've spent in the sun and a few other risk factors.
Photoaging Risk Factors
The amount of time you spend in the sun is one of the biggest risk factors in how many photoaging signs your skin will show.
If you live in a sunny place, work outdoors, live or work at a high altitude spend a lot of recreational time in the sun, you're at a higher risk of sun damage and photoaging.
The other main risk factor is having fair skin. Those with darker skin may show fewer signs of photoaging, but everyone still needs to protect their skin.
Photoaging Causes
Collagen and elastin are what give your skin a youthful appearance. These proteins exist in the dermis, the second layer of skin, and support the skin’s structure. UV radiation damages collagen and elastin.
UVB rays are shorter and tend to damage the top layer of skin, resulting in sunburn. However, UVA rays make up a whopping 95% of the sun’s rays that reach us. This wavelength travels deeper into the skin, damaging collagen and causing the production of abnormal elastin. And this is what makes your skin look older.
In addition, your skin also creates melanin in reaction to UV exposure in an attempt to protect itself. And this process can lead to hyperpigmentation concerns such as melasma, freckles, sun/age spots or hypopigmentation concerns such as vitiligo.
Photoaging Symptoms
What does photoaged skin look like? Even as early as your teens, the signs of photoaging could begin to appear. UV light technology can show areas of excess pigment underneath the skin's surface that are not yet visible to the naked eye.
You’ll likely notice the signs on the parts of your body most often exposed to the sun, such as your face, lips, neck, décolleté, hands, or forearms.
When photoaging signs are present, they take the form of:
Wrinkles
Hyperpigmentation
Hypopigmentation
Leathery skin
Thin skin
Volume loss
Yellow skin
Broken capillaries
Remember, skin cancer is a serious type of sun damage, so always get your skin checked by your physician if you are concerned.
How To Prevent Photoaging
You can’t stop your skin from ageing, but you can prevent photoaging.
Here are 6 top tips to help protect your skin from sun damage:
Stay inside or in the shade when the sun is most potent (between 11 am-3 pm or check a UV index for your location)
Wear protective clothing, including UV-protective clothes with long sleeves and a wide-brimmed hat.
Apply and reapply broad-spectrum sunscreen (minimum SPF 30) every single day
Pay close attention to the face, lips, décolleté, and hands as they are areas prone to photoaging
Avoid sun beds and tanning devices
Choose a foundation that includes an SPF 30 or higher. COVER RECOVER™ is the perfect solution
Can I Reverse Skin Sun Damage?
Prevention is critical moving forward. But if your skin is already showing signs of photoaging, there’s plenty you can do to restore a youthful glow.
3 Must-have Anti-ageing Skincare Ingredients
Vitamin A
One of the key ingredients for reversing the signs of ageing is retinol, which is derived from Vitamin A.
It promotes cellular turnover and collagen production. Retinol comes in many different forms and strengths, with some of the most potent products only available on prescription. RETINAL ACTIVE™ is an anti-ageing night cream that contains Retinaldehyde, the most potent form of Vitamin A available without a prescription.
Some Vitamin A products can irritate skin and cause skin to be more sensitive to the sun. So, it's essential that you continue to use COVER RECOVER.
Recommended products: VITAMIN RICH REPAIR™, RETINAL ACTIVE™, R.E.R. EYE SERUM™
Niacinamide
Photoaging isn’t just about lines and wrinkles. Dark spots can make you look older than you are. Niacinamide is a wonder product for fading dark spots and hyperpigmentation.
Recommended products: ANTIOXIDANT COCKTAIL™
Vitamin C
This powerful antioxidant neutralises free radical attacks to help prevent damage.
It helps boost collagen production for firmer skin and can help brighten skin.
Recommended products: TRI-PHASE CLEANSER™, MICRO DERM EXFOLIANT™, BRITE LITE™, ANTIOXIDANT COCKTAIL, VITAMIN RICH REPAIR, COVER RECOVER
Dermapen Treatments for Sun-damaged Skin
Want younger-looking skin? Use Dermapen Treatments™ to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin within your skin. This boosts its radiance and structure.
But a Dermapen Treatment is so much more than “just microneedling”. The flawless fractional channels in the skin deliver potent active ingredients in Dp Dermaceuticals™ to the deeper levels for more significant rejuvenation. It's this synergy of solutions that's able to produce such incredible results.
And unlike some other rejuvenating procedures, there’s virtually no pain or downtime. When our Protocols are followed, you can immediately return to most of your daily activities.
Start Your Journey Today
Don't continue to pay for those years spent in the sun—go easy on yourself. You deserve smooth, even skin you can feel confident in.
Start today by regularly applying COVER RECOVER and then get advice from one of our Authorised Treatment Providers.
If you are a professional and wish to learn how to become a DermapenWorld Authorised Treatment Provider, click here.
