You’ve heard it a million times, and we’ll probably tell you a million times more because it’s so important: protecting your skin from the sun is the single-most important anti-aging step you can take. Avoiding UV damage with sunscreen reduces your risk of skin cancer and helps to keep your skin healthy.
You already knew all that, but what may surprise you is that sunscreen may actually help to reverse signs of sun damage, too! Yes, you read it right— sunscreen may actually help to reverse sun damage, not just prevent it!
A recent study published in Dermatologic Surgery charted the skin health of 32 women who were asked to apply SPF 30 daily for a year. They expected to see no further progression of sun damage, but what they discovered was astounding! The sunscreen users not only showed no further advancement in photoaging, but they also showed a noticeable reversal in many signs of sun damage, including improvement in crow’s feet and skin dullness. Almost 70 percent of these daily SPF users also reported smoother, tighter, and more evenly toned skin!
Scientists speculate that when skin is exposed to UV rays, it is forced into a fight and repair mode, constantly putting out fires and mending wounds. When skin is consistently protected with sunscreen, it can relax and do what skin does best—keeping healthy skin cells healthy and beautiful.
The takeaway here is that sunscreen should the first ingredient in your beauty arsenal 365 days a year, not just when you’re headed to the pool or beach.
For leading beauty advice and treatments in skin health and beauty, you can count on Young Medical Spa®. Young Medical Spa is easily accessible to patients in the Philadelphia, Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton areas.