Smiling woman holding her hat at the beach

HOW TO HELP PROTECT SKIN FROM
PHOTOAGING

WISING UP TO SKIN CARE AS WE AGE

We all get older – that’s unavoidable. But we hope that, as we get older, we also get wiser, especially when it comes to the sun and skincare. The sun is a wonderful part of being outside but too much of it can take a toll, causing your skin to show premature signs of aging.

Of course, we don’t want to avoid the sun entirely. The ideal solution would be to have the best of both worlds – to be able to enjoy the sun’s balmy rays but have the right protection in place so we can slow down, halt or even repair some of the signs of aging. That’s where sunscreen shines. But before we look at sunscreen, it’s important to understand exactly how the sun affects your skin.

Woman smiling while making a heart with her hands

THE SUN & YOUR SKIN

There’s no doubt that sunshine makes us feel good. Physically, it warms us and feels amazing on the skin. It can also have positive effects on mental health, like relieving Seasonal Affected Disorder (SAD). And it’s a great source of vitamin D, which helps with metabolism, bone health and disease prevention.

There’s a lot to love. But it can also cause signs of premature aging (or photoaging –such as wrinkles, dry skin, loss of skin elasticity, sunspots, crow’s feet, and marionette lines.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND PHOTOAGING

The sun produces two types of UV rays that reach us here on Earth: UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays plays a greater role in skin premature aging, while UVB rays cause sunburns that can lead to serious health issues, like skin cancer.

Our bodies have a natural defense for these UVA and UVB rays. It’s called melanin. When your skin is exposed to sunshine, it produces more melanin causing skin to darken (or tan), which offers even more protection.

However, for the vast majority of people, melanin isn’t enough. Overexposure to the sun’s UV rays can penetrate the outer skin (epidermis) and cause damage to deeper skin cells (dermis). This can result in signs of pre-mature aging. We’ll get into how to do that next!

Smiling woman with sunglasses at the beach caressing her shoulder

SUNSCREEN TO THE RESCUE

While no sunscreen can block 100% of the sun’s rays, they can do a lot to help prevent signs of photoaging. In fact, many people in Canada are beginning to wear sunscreen year-round as part of their daily routine because of its benefits to happy, healthy skin.

PREVENTION IS THE BEST DEFENCE

As the saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth of pound of cure.” Sunscreen protects your skin, so it doesn’t get damaged in the first place, thus helping to prevent photoaging.

UNDERSTANDING SPF LEVELS

SPF stands for "sun protection factor". The number that accompanies it (15, 30, etc.) represents the ratio of time required for UV rays to produce a sunburn, compared to a scenario without sun protection. For example, an SPF of 30 indicates that you can, in theory, stay in the sun 30 times longer without getting sunburned.

SPF does not indicate the degree of protection related to the intensity of UV rays, but it does play a role in preventing photoaging by protecting the epidermis from sunburn and more serious skin conditions.Dermatologists typically recommend a minimum of SPF 30+ for aging skin.

CARING FOR YOUR SKIN

In addition to protection, sunscreen also has anti-aging properties. It moisturizes for up to 24 hours after you apply it. This can help restore and improve your skin’s elasticity, which is key to helping it heal and recover from sun damage and maintain that healthy-looking glow.