Sun Exposure
Who doesn’t love the feel of the sun’s warmth beaming down on your face? You might even want a little “color” on your face and skin. Many people think of tanned, golden bodies as healthy and youthful. Unfortunately, this isn’t exactly true. In fact, sun exposure causes almost the opposite effect-weathering your face and causing wrinkles. It is estimated that up to 80% of skin aging is actually the effects of sun damage.
How Sunlight Affects Your Skin
Sunlight consists of both UV (ultraviolet) A and B light. Although we once thought that UVB light was much worse for you than UVA, we now know that both are harmful. The ultraviolet rays, specifically UVA, penetrate the skin’s deeper layers and break down the collagen that holds your skin firm and smooth. Thus, as the collagen is damaged, wrinkles start to form.
The sun also gives us freckles and sun spots. These are areas of hyperpigmentation, meaning that exposure to the sun has caused an excess of melanin to be produced. Also, the tan that we consider a youthful glow is actually an all-over buildup of melanin that the body creates to try to protect itself.
Sun Protection
Of course, sunlight is a constant presence in our lives. It fuels plants and solar cells. For humans, a bit of sun exposure can be beneficial because it provides us with vitamin D. However, if you are going to be out in the sun for longer than about 15 minutes, it is a good idea to layer on some sunscreen or wear protective clothing.
For women, many makeup companies now offer foundation and other products with built-in SPF. As it is your face that is most often exposed to sunlight, it may be helpful to utilize these products.
Contact Us
It is nearly impossible to keep your face and skin 100% protected from the sun’s rays. Therefore, all of us will probably suffer some sort of skin aging-wrinkles or spots-due to sun exposure. For more information on ways to combat wrinkles, such as Botox and face lifts, contact Austin facial surgeon specialist Dr. Apostolakis today by calling 512-329-8989.