At this point I’m not the first person to tell you to wear sunscreen. We’ve been hearing it since before we could comprehend the words with our mother’s slathering it on us as kids. Then what happens? We turn into tan-obsessed teens and figure we can worry about the damages when we’re older. Or at least that’s my story. Even now, with my extensive knowledge on the negative effects of the sun on my skin and for aging I still find myself walking out the door some mornings forgetting to apply sunblock or feeling a little giddy when I look in the mirror and see a tan.
No more! Or at least not without a huge amount of gilt alongside it! I recently attended a skincare bootcamp with Dermalogica’s Director of Globel Education, Annet King. And besides being an invaluable resources in all things skincare, she has probably the most amazing skin I’ve ever seen. I mean seriously, it rivals babies.
Here are some skin care facts to consider!
- Extrinsic aging is caused by sun exposure, industrial pollution, ozone, pesticides, smoking, alcohol, diet and stress.
- About 80% of the visible signs of aging are caused by UV rays.
- Most of the sun damage occurs before the age of 18!
- Sunburns increase your risk of melanoma (4 sunburns double your odds!).
- The immediate effect of UV exposure include erythema (inflammation) in 2-6 hours, peeling (which is cell suicide), cell proliferation and thickening, dehydrations and the breakdown of collegen and elastin.
- Naturally both men and women lose about 1% of their collegen per year after turning 30.
- Don’t spray your fragrance directly on your skin! Mixed with UV rays it can cause pigmentation. Spray it on your clothes! Other causes of pigmentation include UV exposure, inflammation (acne, wounds, diseases), medication, genes and hormones.
- Wear sunscreen everyday! UV radiation can go through clothing, windshields, clouds, bounce off reflective surfaces like water, sand and concrete. Wearing an SPF can help prevent skin cancer, premature aging and photodamage.
- Exfoliation can help remove possible precancerous cells before they come dangerous, just be sure to exfoliate at night or follow up with an SPF as it is more vulnerable to the sun.
- Heat breaks down sunscreens so for lasting use, make sure not to store your SPF products in direct sunlight.
- Antioxidant vitamins are as important as sunscreen when defending skin against UVA and UVB rays, which is why Dermelogica has created their Daylight Defense line, featuring their UV Smart Booster Technology (which is packed with Vitamin C and C for maximum free radical protection). Learn more HERE
Ingredients that help! This slide is an amazing resource for all of us that see ingredients and go –what’s that good for? So figure out your skincare concerns and take note!
