How Wearing Sunscreen Acts as a Preventative Anti-aging Treatment
Skin is one of the most important organs of the body due to it being the most visible and exposed. It also can reflect the aging process of a person and it acts as a protective barrier. Thus, you need to take care of your skin starting at an early age.
Skin Health and Aging
Both extrinsic and intrinsic factors contribute to the biological process of aging skin. Nowadays, most people perceive skin health as an indicator of an individual’s health. Therefore, there is an increasing demand for skincare and anti-aging products. One of the factors considered to play a huge role in aging is exposure to UV radiation.
Sunscreen
There is a remarkable rise in the cosmeceuticals and cosmetic markets. This is due to products having a dual purpose of sun protection and anti-aging. Consequently, research is on the rise to ensure that such products are safe. Researchers are also looking for possible alternatives to the current topical application of sunscreen.
Can Sunscreen Prevent Skin Aging?
The goal of applying sunscreen is to protect your skin and filter out harmful UV radiation. Sunscreen is also the first and most effective line of defense against premature skin aging. However, it is quite difficult to determine which sunscreens are anti-aging.
Sunscreen lotions and creams can help prevent sunburn, skin cancer, and premature aging. Whether they can help you avoid age spots, wrinkles, and other signs of premature skin aging largely depend on the type of UV radiation they block.
Types of Ultraviolet Radiation
UV rays have three types of radiation, which are UVA, UVB, and UVC. While the first two types contribute to skin damage, research now shows that UVA rays can lead to premature skin aging. This results in uneven pigmentation, changes in skin texture, and wrinkles. UVB rays, however, are mainly responsible for skin burning.
Prevention of Premature Skin Aging
Surprisingly, before 2013, little research existed on whether and how sunscreen can act as a preventative anti-aging treatment. In 2013, however, researchers proved that the use of sunscreen could, at least, slow or prevent skin aging.
To assess whether it can prevent the development of wrinkles in people, researchers in Australia conducted a randomized controlled study. The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, produced interesting results. For instance, adults who used a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily did not show any detectable increase in skin aging after four and a half years.
Additionally, symptoms of skin aging, such as more wrinkling and coarser skin, during the study period were 24 percent less among those in the daily sunscreen group compared to those using it on a discretionary basis.
To prevent premature aging of your skin, therefore, you should consider using a broad-spectrum sunscreen. It will block UVA and UVB rays from the sun, unlike one formulated to block UVB rays only. As of 2012, the FDA requires manufacturers of sunscreen to indicate whether their products offer broad-spectrum protection.
To learn more about how sunscreen can help prevent premature skin aging call Clark Plastic & Hand Surgery in McKinney, Texas at 469-675-3659 today to discuss skincare recommendations or to schedule an appointment.
