Are You Aware What The Sun Really Does To Your Skin?
Did you know that 80% of UV damage from sun exposure occurs in
childhood and adolescence? For anyone over 50, don’t blame yourself -
we didn’t know back then what harm the sun’s rays were doing. Of
course we all need sunshine on our skin in order for our bodies to
make Vitamin D, so crucial to healthy skin and bones. But if you’ve
ever layed in the sun for too long (that’s most of us) then you’ve
almost certainly caused irrepearable damage to your skin.
The sensable approach would be for everyone to replace misinformation
with facts about the effectiveness of sunscreens and sun-protective clothing, then put
those facts to proper use.
Did you know there are more than a million cases of basal cell or
squamous cell cancers diagnosed annually in the United States?
However, there is no evidence that the use of sunscreen
increases the incidence of skin cancer. Nor is there evidence that
regular use of sunscreens can cause internal damage as they are
surface agents only; they don’t get inside cells or penetrate deep
into the skin.
Dermatologists recommend that we use a sunscreen with an S.P.F. rating
of 15 or higher on all exposed areas—whether the day is sunny or
cloudy whether skin is light or dark. UV radiation readily penetrates
cloud cover so don’t make the mistake of thinking that it’s a bit
overcast so you won’t be exposed.
There are a number of natural ways in which you can limit the damage
caused by exposure to the sun including:
Eat Fish – eat oily fish as the Omega-3 oils reduce the damage skin
cells undergo when exposed to UV light, or
Drink Tea – Certain compounds in green tea suggest that it may act as
an antiinflammatory or antioxidant, which help skin cells fend off
cancerous changes.
Aspirin – This drug reduces inflammation and, if taken when you’re
suffering sunburn, might help reduce the damage of your skin.
Eat Papaya and Tomatoes – Both contain vitamin C and E, and studies
have shown that these antioxidants can inhibit ultraviolet-induced skin damage. If they are
not an option for you, bell peppers, strawberries, and citrus fruits
are also high in vitamin C while cooked spinach, pumpkin, and broccoli
are high in vitamin E.
Did You Know?
That just 10 minutes exposure to the sun’s rays is enough to allow
your body to make Vitamin D in sufficient quantityto keep your bones
and immune system strong. Of course this depends on how light your
natural skin tone is. Darker skinned people may need more time than
this as less UV light penetrates but that’s when the danger creeps in.
Try getting more Vitamin D in your diet or take a supplement if you
have darker skin.
That just 60 minutes of sun exposure can cause lasting damage to
collagen and elastin fibers. This can lead to wrinkles, fine lines and
can contribute to skin cancer. Short-wave radiation from UVB light
causes sunburn and the mutation of genes that control the development
of cancer cells. Together with harmful UVG rays, cancer cells don’t
receive their ‘off’ message and continue to divide and multiply.
After a few hours of sun exposure a single blistering sunburn during
childhood doubles your chance of developing melanoma as verified by
research.
Enjoying The Sun – Damage Free
The best way to keep you skin sun-damage free is by using a full
spectrum SPF 15 sunscreen daily.
Approximately 90% of the signs of aging including fine lines,
blotchiness and sagging are accelerated by UV rays but unfortunately,
many people still are not using sunscreen either because they don’t
like the smell or the feel, and they don’t see instant results. But
there are plenty of sunscreens that go on easily and aren’t full of
chemicals. Also, new studies indicate that sunscreen use provides
rapid improvements in the look and feel of your skin by allowing your
cells to focus on tasks that make skin beautilful – like building
collagen and shedding dead cells.
Final secret
For even greater UV protection and all round skin health apply an
antioxidant serum containing vitamins C or E, Co-Q 10, green or white
tea, pomegranate, alpha-lipoic acid, or idebenone underneath your
sunscreen. The antioxidant ingredients fight off skin-aging free
radicals generated by sunlight.