Prevent Aging with Sunscreen

This week we learn some science related to healthy, vital, and sexy skin. We can make healthy and conscious choices in our lifestyle to prevent age related skin changes like fine lines and wrinkles.  Using sunscreen all the time is one of those choices. In fact, long term sun exposure accounts for 90% of age-related cosmetic skin changes (1). Therefore, daily use of a proper sunscreen is a choice we can make to retain youthful skin for a longer time. 

There are a lot of studies proving sun exposure leads to accelerated skin aging. In a study out of Japan, 18 months of sunscreen resulted in less spots, and better skin color uniformity (2). In another study, 32 subjects used sunscreen with SPF 30 for one year and 100% of subjects showed improvement in their skin texture and clarity (3).We cannot refute the negative effects the sun has on skin aging. 

The sun puts out three types of radiation: UVA, UVB, and UVC; these rays are present throughout the entire year, and even on cloudy days.UVC is less significant because its rays are blocked by an ozone layer and don’t reach the earth. Simply put, UVA radiation penetrates deep into the skin and is responsible for aging the skin. UVB radiation, also known as ‘burn rays,’ is associated with skin cancers (4). When shopping for sunscreen, the package should indicate both UVA AND UVB protection. 

The most important aspect of a sunscreen, is if you are willing to wear it. There are a couple types of sunscreen to choose from: chemical and physical. Brands like Neurtrogena and Coppertone are chemical sunscreens that contain ingredients such as oxybenzone. Chemical sunscreens are absorbed through the skin where they bind-to and fight free radical damage from UV radiation. Physical sunscreens like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, work on the surface of the skin to deflect light away so it never gets absorbed. Physical sunscreens tend to be thick and white. It is my recommendation to choose physical sunscreens over chemical sunscreens to avoid absorption of chemicals. The chemicals used in sunscreen have been shown to disrupt hormones (5). 

I know a handful of you are good about using sunscreen daily; this is something I could improve on. We can delay our skin’s aging by wearing UVA and UVB protection everyday, and it’s especially important to protect our kids’ from skin cancer (6). I’m currently using EltaMD UV Clear most days on my face. This is a mixture of chemical and physical barriers (I would prefer a physical only) but I like its consistency and am willing to wear it. 

In conclusion, it is important to wear sunscreen every day, even in the winter. Sunscreen protects our skin from radiation that accelerates skin aging and increases cancer risk. I recommend physical sunscreens over chemicals to avoid chemical absorption. Use about one shot glass worth of cream for the body and about two teaspoons of sunscreen for the face. 

Resources 
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8042567/#:~:text=Long%2Dterm%20sun%20exposure%20causes,tanning%20salons)%20causes%20skin%20damage.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4853009/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27749441/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3460660/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4997468/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6048593/