Sun Burn, UVA Rays

Whether you’re in the bracing -10 Celcius air of Moscow, or basking on the sun-drenched sands of the Caribbean, the sun is going to find you. Ultraviolet radiation bombards the skin constantly, even when you think you’re not exposing yourself to it. 80% of it passes straight through clouds. The worst of the rays, the UVA rays, penetrate to the deepest levels of the dermis, affecting the connective tissue that gives skin its elasticity and youth. These are the same rays many solarium machines emit. The sunburning UVB rays damage on a more topical level, searing skin until it’s tender, tight, on fire.

Tanning is your skin’s natural protective response. Melanin, the sunscreening pigment, actually thickens the skin to protect deeper tissues. What it doesn’t do is prevent long-term skin damage. The growing trend towards sunless tanning has resulted in a new generation of self-tanning products that offer a golden glow and reduce the risk. Pre-sun products help prepare skin for fast, intensive tanning. By stimulating production of natural pigments, they effectively reduce the time it takes to achieve the desired depth of color.

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As we age older, we start to get wrinkles. However, there are things that can be done to reduce or delay the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Among these is the use of sunscreen to protect against photoaging. The majority of the undesirable skin changes associated with aging are the result of sun exposure. The underlying collagen and elastin support of the skin breaks down because of sun exposure. However, collagen and elastin are only one part of a complex picture. Young skin has more fat cells in the dermis than older skin. This explains why older skin is more transparent. In aging the skin grows more than is necessary to cover the bones and muscles. So it sags. Gravity is not our friend in aging. Facial muscles sag too. Water retaining elements of the skin become depleted with age as well. The DNA in the skin cells may be changed preventing the skin from reproducing as in young skin. In fact, epidermal turnover rates decrease with age.

Wrinkles can appear as deep in the skin or thin surface lines that once smooth surface of the skin. Wrinkles — or laugh lines, crow’s feet and “signs of character” — are caused by the constant contraction of the muscles as we use our face. Wrinkles result from laughing often, sun exposure and tugging on the skin. Sayfanın Devamını Oku »