When I think of sun damage I automatically think of this news story that broke in July 2012. A truck driver named Bill McElligott, who after 25 years on the road, had severe sun damage on the left side of his face. If you haven’t seen it, you should.
It’s a reminder to always take care of your skin and protect it as much as possible from UVA and UVB rays. Years spent in the sun can produce long-term effects on your skin such as spots, deep wrinkles, and droopiness.
There is also the fact that 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Don’t be that 1. There are ways you can protect and even treat sun damage. Keep reading to find out how.
1. Sunscreen
Use sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. Even on the days you won’t be constantly outside, daily use may decrease chances of skin cancer. Sunscreen encourages youthful skin and lets your skin heal and repair existing sun damage.
2. Moisturize
Your skin can dry out after being in the sun day after day, especially in the summer time. Chlorine and salt water can also make skin taut. To moisturize your skin, use a hand and body cream.
It’s important to also always use a facial moisturizer, particularly with AHA or hyaluronic acid. It helps in the production of collagen, which is a protein that gives skin its strength.
3. Exfoliate
An accumulation of dead skin, called stratum corneum, makes skin dull, blotchy, and uneven. Self-tanning products can also do this when some of the product is left on the skin. The best way to remove dead skin cells and leftover product is by using loofahs, bath scrubs, alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), and home microdermabrasion kits.
4. Professional Laser Treatments
So what if the effects of sun damage are already there? There is no need to worry; the medical field has advanced technology to reverse the effects of sun damage. Professional laser treatments are used to safely help improve the look of skin by decreasing and even eliminating wrinkles, lines, blotchiness, redness, scars, and discoloration. Make sure to try a procedure with IPL, or intense pulsed light for a better outcome.
