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How does the sun cause ageing skin?

how does sun affect the skin

With the weather really hotting up, and holidays abroad being planned, it’s a good time to consider the effect that the sun has on our skin, and the things we can do to protect it. The facial skin is often the most effected by the sunlight, as this is often more exposed than any other part of the body, throughout the year. And it is this UV exposure that is actually a leading cause of premature ageing, and visible sings of ageing. In fact, The World Health Organization’s report called “Sun Protection: A Primary Teaching Resource” states that, “up to 90% of the visible changes commonly attributed to ageing may be caused by sun exposure.” But how does the sun cause ageing skin? And what can we do about it? Well, here at The Skin and Wellbeing Clinic, we are Preston’s leading aesthetic practitioners. And this is our guide to everything you should know about the sun, and your skin.

The light of the sun contains two different types of UV. These are UVA and UVB, and each type of UV light has it’s own negative impact on your skin, particularly when it comes to ageing.

UVB and burning

Let’s start with UVB. This is the type of UV that causes sunburn. The UVB rays trigger inflammation and dilate your blood vessels, causing sunburn. This is actually skin damage, which causes the body to produce additional melanin pigment, to act as a UV filter, and to try and protect your skin.

Repeated sunburn can change your skin permanently, reducing hydration, reducing the skins elasticity, and causing sun spots to appear.

UVA and ageing

UVA is a different type of UV ray and this causes a different type of damage. While you can almost always see the result of UVB damage, UVA penetrates cells and DNA much deeper in the skin. This allows your tan to glow for longer, but this damage effects the collagen and the elastin in the skin, leading to the early development of wrinkles. Repeated sun exposure can cause the collagen and elastin to break down completely, resulting in a range of visible signs of ageing, including:

  • lines and wrinkles
  • sagging skin
  • sun spots and an uneven skin tone

It’s worth noting that UVA rays can penetrate through glass, so even if you are inside, behind a window, your skin could still be damaged by the sun.

Protecting your skin

The best thing you can do for your skin is to wear SPF sun cream each and every day, with full UVA and UVB protection. This will act as a barrier, preventing the suns rays from causing extensive damage to your skin.

Repairing the damage

Repairing the damage caused by over exposure to UV could involve:

  • Anti-wrinkle injections – These can help to soften any wrinkles or lines that have developed, or are developing, by relaxing facial muscles and allowing skin to reset.
  • Dermal fillers – these can replace any lost collagen in your skin to add volume and structure to your face.
    Chemical peels- these can remove the top layer of skin reducing the appearance of any sun damage and promoting deep rejuvenation.

For more information or advice about sun damaged skin, get in touch with the professionals today, here at the Skin and Wellbeing Clinic.

The Skin and Wellbeing Clinic is proud to provide professional aesthetics treatments for clients in Preston, Blackpool, Leyland, Chorley, Kirkham, Blackburn and the North West of England. Our key treatments and services include Anti Wrinkle Injections, Dermal Fillers, Laser Hair Removal, Acne Treatments, Injectable Polynucleotides, and much more.