We love the sun; it makes us feel healthy, vibrant and, of course, who doesn’t love the warmth and that “tan” look. The skin bliss from the sun is unfortunately only temporary. Every year we hear about it, perhaps a close friend or even a relative was diagnosed with skin cancer.
There are numerous studies that inform us of the dangers of being exposed to the damaging rays of the sun.
The cancer risk is significant and during the process, we expose our skin to premature aging that results in uneven skin tone, brown spots, redness, wrinkles, loss of elasticity…..shall we go on? Those factors alone should be enough to make you want to lather up your entire body with SPF 100 every two hours.
Here in Arizona, our risk must be at the forefront of our minds. Our advice? Meet with a skin care expert to learn more about what you can do to correct and protect. Let’s review a few facts on how you can erase existing damage to your skin and prevent further damage from occurring:
- To prevent further damage to our skin, we need to choose proper protection. Purchase sunscreens that are approved by the FDA. Do your research to ensure that you and your family are using the proper UVA/UVB protection. According to the FAQ’s from one of our valued skincare resources Colorescience® “Only Broad Spectrum sunscreens with an SPF value of 15 or higher can claim to reduce the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging if used as directed with other sun protection measures. Non-Broad Spectrum sunscreens and Broad Spectrum sunscreens with an SPF value between 2 and 14 can only claim to help prevent sunburn.”
- To reverse existing damage, try topical solutions such as retinoids, lightening creams, alpha and beta hydroxyl acids and chemical peels. These are excellent choices for brightening, correcting uneven skin tone, fine lines and restoring suppleness and hydration.
- Lasers and light-based therapies are also an outstanding choice for erasing signs of aging caused by the sun. They remove brown spots, eliminate broken capillaries, fine lines and stimulate collagen growth. These light based therapies allow new skin cells to generate creating a natural healing process. The results are fresh, clear, healthy skin with a significantly more youthful appearance.
