Most of us were born with perfect smooth skin. The years of daily sun exposure, especially in the coastal areas of South Carolina, and sun damage that our skin has been exposed to negatively affected its smoothness, elasticity and luminosity. Most likely, none of us will ever quite regain that same fine texture and resilience, no matter what we do. While you cannot stop or even slow down the intrinsic aging process, you can prevent signs of premature aging by protecting your skin from the sun, quitting smoking, and eliminating facial exercises.
Our dermatologists at East Coast Dermatology recommend comprehensive sun protection to prevent premature aging caused by the sun. Comprehensive sun protection includes:
- Avoiding deliberate tanning, including use of indoor tanning devices.
- Staying out of the sun between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., when the sun’s rays are the strongest.
- Wearing protective clothing, such as a wide-brimmed hat and long sleeves, when outdoors during the day.
- Applying sunscreen year round whether staying inside, going out or even when it’s raining; whether planning to be in a car or a plane. Sunscreen should be broad spectrum (offers UVA and UVB protection) and have a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Sunscreen should be applied 20 minutes before going outdoors to all skin that will be exposed. It should be reapplied after sweating or being in water.
Sun exposure is the leading cause of skin cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, many of the more than 1 million skin cancers diagnosed each year could be prevented with protection from the sun’s rays. Scientists now know that exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays damages DNA in the skin. The body can usually repair this damage before gene mutations occur and cancer develops. When a person’s body cannot repair the damaged DNA, which can occur with cumulative sun exposure, cancer develops.
