Most of us in this day and age are aware that blissfully lounging in the midday sun lathered in baby oil is not prudent if you wish to avoid skin cancer and other maladies, not to mention, unsightly wrinkles and skin discoloration. But what causes sun damage? How much sun is too much and what can be done to erase the damage once it is done?.....
Most of the changes in skin that we associate with normal aging, such as sagging skin, wrinkles, and discoloration, are actually symptoms of sun damage attained over a normal lifetime. The sun emits UVA and UVB rays, which both affect our skin in different ways. UVA rays, though less intense than UVB rays, penetrate deeper into the skin and are responsible for pigment changes and the majority of photoaging such as wrinkling, discoloration and the breakdown of cellular DNA which can lead to cancer growth. UVA rays are more prevalent than UVB rays and are present with equal intensity during most hours of daylight. Furthermore, they can penetrate glass and clouds (while UVB rays cannot).....
UVB rays are responsible primarily for sunburns and the reddening of the skin that appears after prolonged exposure to the sun and damages primarily the outermost parts of the epidermis. UVB rays are most prevalent in the US during the hours of 10am-4pm, however, they can cause damage year round......
Because UVA rays are responsible for most photoaging and they are present during all hours of the day, many dermatologists believe that it is prudent to wear a hat and sunscreen as much as possible when outdoors, no matter if it is a cloudy day, the early morning, or the late afternoon. Some concerns have been raised as to whether Vitamin D is a concern for people who avoid sun exposure to this degree, however, many dermatologists believe that vitamin D should be taken in supplement form to avoid a depletion of the vitamin and sun exposure should not be encouraged. The depletion of the ozone layer has lead to an increase in our exposure to UV radiation and our environment is a source of many carcinogens that were not present a few generations ago so our cumulative lifetime exposure to cancer causing agents, including UV rays is higher than it was in the past......
There is no question that preventing sun damage is much easier than healing past damage, however, scientific research has yielded some interesting discoveries that are very promising to people who have sustained sun damage throughout their lives. Antioxidants and certain vitamins, particularly
vitamin C, have been shown to reverse sun damage by reducing free radical damage and promoting healthy cellular activity.
Vitamin C, in addition to reducing free radical damage and promoting collagen production, has also been shown to have photoprotective qualities, meaning that applying vitamin C can actually inhibit sun damage. .....
When combined with
Vitamin E and
Ferulic Acid, this photoprotective quality has been shown to increase by 8 fold. Vitamin C is also a natural skin lightener meaning and is very effective in reducing discoloration caused by sun damage. Many dermatologists recommend adding a stable form of
topical vitamin C, such as sodium ascorbyl phosphate, to your skin care regimen to promote healing and to protect, though this does not mean that you should skip the sunscreen. But, ALWAYS go all natural with your sunscreen. This means oxybenzone and paraben free. Instead look for natural blocking agents such as titanium dioxide and zinc dioxide.
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