Everything You Need to Know About Sun Damage

Let's face it, we’ve all been there — spending a little too much time soaking up those summer rays. You’ve likely discovered a few more freckles or that your skin tone is more uneven than it was last spring. But worry not (and avoid making more wrinkles on your forehead), in addition to prevention, there are several ways to help reverse the effects of sun damage. But first, let’s dive into how the skin gets sun damage.
everything you need to know about sun damage and how to save your skin from it

UV Rays

The sun radiates invisible ultraviolet light, commonly known as UV rays. The two types of UV rays you should be concerned about for your skin are UVA & UVB rays. While both have the ability to affect your skin, they’re slightly different in terms of the damage they cause. 

UVA rays penetrate deep into the layers of the skin and cause signs of aging, like pigmentation issues and wrinkles, while UVB rays mostly reach the epidermis (top layers of the skin), and are linked to redness and sunburns, among other things.

Steps to Take to Prevent Sun Damage

  • The surest way: Avoid the sun completely. (We know, it’s impossible, and we still need the sun to give us Vitamin D!) 
  • The next best thing is to try and avoid the sun when it’s at its strongest — between the hours of 10am and 3 pm
  • Seek out the shade 
  • Wear sun protective clothing
  • Apply (and continuously reapply) sunscreen. Look for “broad spectrum” sunscreen, with at least SPF 30. Do not rely on makeup with SPF as these do not protect you from the sun efficiently. Check out this UV lens app that helps determine how long you can stay in the sun before you get sunburned!

Sun Damage Symptoms

Excessive exposure to the sun early in life can make a person look older than they really are. Premature wrinkling and skin damage from sun exposure is also called photo-aging. Photo-aging, unlike natural aging, results in coarse, dry skin, freckling, skin discoloration, leathery skin, and deep wrinkles.

Caring for Sun-Damaged Skin

In terms of your skincare routine, to help repair sun-damaged skin you should be using 3 key ingredients: Retinol, Alpha Hydroxyl Acids, and Vitamin C. 

However, it’s important to note that you should stay out of the sun if using these, as they can make you more sensitive to UV rays.

Retinol (a derivative of Vitamin A), is important for increasing cellular regeneration and also helps with overall skin rejuvenation. 

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA’s), including Lactic and Glycolic Acid, exfoliate the epidermis to reveal the fresh, smooth layers beneath. 

Finally, antioxidant serums with Vitamin C help boost the protection benefits of your sunscreen and are perfect for use during the day.

Our Anti-Aging Serum contains Green Tea Extract – another powerful antioxidant that can be used to boost the effects of sun protection agents.

Learn More About our Anti-Aging Serum

Let the Power of Microdermabrasion Bring Out Your Best Skin!

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More Powerful At-Home Solutions

Among the diverse range of anti-aging treatments out there, two of the most popular for reversing sun damage are LED Light Therapy and Microdermabrasion. As treatments with professionals can be costly and time consuming, at-home devices are a good alternative for reparative efforts.

LED Light Therapy

Light therapy uses safe, helpful wavelengths to penetrate deep within the layers of the skin. By doing this, they improve clarity as well as combat signs of aging, such as: lines, sun spots caused by UV exposure, and uneven tone in general.

There are three types of rays that are helpful: red (linked to boosting collagen levels), amber (helps calm inflamed skin), and infrared (which not only goes the deepest, but also helps boost the abilities of the other LED rays. 

Our UV-free RejuvaliteMD is an FDA-cleared device that has all of the above frequencies of light. This breakthrough LED anti-aging device combines the efficacy and intensity of professional tools used at a dermatologist with the comfort and convenience of an at-home device. 

RejuvaliteMD LED PanelRejuvaliteMD LED Panel with red, yellow, amber, and invisible infrared lights

 

The RejuvaliteMD is intended to help reduce the signs of aging, specifically the reduction of periorbital wrinkles, fine lines and wrinkles on the face and neck, and the appearance of sun damaged skin.

The 120 LED bulb panel is split evenly between the Red (660nm), Yellow (590nm), Amber (630nm), and IR (880nm) that penetrate the skin at different levels, helping to spur the creation of new collagen, elastin, and fibroblasts. 

When used correctly, the RejuvaliteMD is a safe and effective method in reducing fine lines, wrinkles, skin laxity, and uneven skin tone. The RejuvaliteMD has been designed to integrate comfortably into your lifestyle, and can be used "hands free" while laying down, sitting up, or any other comfortable positioning.

Plus, you only need 5-minute treatments daily in order for it to be effective.

Microdermabrasion

An equally effective anti-aging treatment, Microdermabrasion, targets aging concerns by physically removing dead cells on the epidermis, revealing brighter skin and helping restore radiance.

It allows for a faster cell-turnover which is beneficial in repairing age spots or sun spots. 

It’s important to note however, that you need adequate sun protection for your newly-abraded skin. Removing the top dead layers will make your skin more photosensitive. So even though there is  no downtime in doing an at-home microdermabrasion, you need to wear at least SPF 30 and avoid too much sun exposure.  

The anti-aging benefits of microdermabrasion include: allowing you to focus on areas where you need treatment the most (like age-spots), little-to-no recovery time, and as a bonus, it’s surprisingly gentle.

Our at-home microdermabrasion device, the MicrodermMD, offers advanced results with 8 different settings. If that seems overwhelming, the device has an LCD display with an Auto and Sensitive Settings that simplifies the whole experience.

MicrodermMD Personal Microdermabrasion at Home deviceMicrodermMD LCD Screen

 

Depending on your skin type, you may exfoliate 1-3 times per week. Make sure to let your skin rest after treatment before you have another go at exfoliation. Moisturize and invest in good-quality skincare serums as well.


Final Word On Sun Damage

It’s important to remember that there is no miracle cure. Reversing sun-damage and aging effects to the skin takes time and patience. Your goal should be to see improvement in your overall skin tone and wrinkles. Some people may see greater improvement than others due to many factors, such as genetics, depth of damage, medications, and a person's overall health.


Resources

Cleveland Clinic (2022) LED Light Therapy

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22146-led-light-therapy#:~:text=There%20isn't%20a%20recovery,any%20damage%20to%20the%20skin

Cobb, C. (2019)  Is This 5-Minute Microcurrent Facial Better Than Botox?

https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/microcurrent-facial 

Kellen, D. (2022) Red or Amber Phototherapy: Which is Better for Skin Rejuvenation?

https://medicalnewsbulletin.com/red-amber-phototherapy-skin-rejuvenation/#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20blue%20light%20is,chance%20of%20pain%20or%20burning

Patel, R. (2021) What is Microdermabrasion?

https://www.healthline.com/health/microdermabrasion 

Scripps (2021) How to Reverse Sun-Damaged Skin

https://www.scripps.org/news_items/4349-how-to-reverse-sun-damaged-skin 

Skin Cancer Foundation (2022) UV Radiation & Your Skin

https://www.skincancer.org/risk-factors/uv-radiation/#:~:text=Unprotected%20exposure%20to%20UVA%20and,including%20cataracts%20and%20eyelid%20cancers

Skin Cancer Foundation (2022) When Beauty Products Cause Sun Sensitivity

https://www.skincancer.org/blog/when-beauty-products-cause-sun-sensitivity/ 

Stay Sun Safe 

https://www.uvlens.com/

Step into the Spotlight!

Reverse sun damage plus treat full facial wrinkles and reduce skin redness. Get that lit-from-within glow and heal your skin from the inside out with this red light therapy powered by medical-grade LEDs. 

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