Question: Is it true that being out in the sun can ‘speed up’ the appearance of lines and wrinkles?
Clare’s answer: It is! Long-term UV exposure can lead to reduced skin elasticity (contributing to the appearance of lines and wrinkles), and can also cause pigmentation and an overall degradation of skin texture, as well as increasing your risk of suffering from Skin Cancer.
At Appearance Based Medicine, I encourage patients to be aware of the damaging effects of the sun’s rays (both UVA and UVB or ‘long wave’ and ‘short wave’ rays) and wear a good quality, high factor sunscreen that protects patients from both. Many patients don’t realise that a good quality Sunscreen should be worn every day, even when it is cloudy or you are indoors, as UVA rays can penetrate glass! I can strongly recommend iS Clinical’s Eclipse SPF 50+ Broad Spectrum Sunscreen – it is oil, fragrance and paraben-free, making it ideal for daily use on oily, blemish prone and sensitive skins. You can find it in the Appearance Based Medicine online shop.
So stay safe in the sun and ‘Slip’ on some loose, long clothing, ‘Slap’ on a hat and ‘Slop’ on some sunscreen!
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