How to Prevent and Treat Sundamage

My client texted me yesterday,“The cheetah is coming in hot!” and he wasn’t talking about fashion trends.  Animal prints may be all the rage right now, but I am certain you’re not looking to sport those spots on your skin. It is SO common for hyperpigmentation that comes in the form of dark spots/age spots and/or mottled patches of pigment called melasma to show up increasingly as we age. Knowing how and with what to prevent and treat it, is empowering and honestly amazing. 

You’re going to want to read this one and share with your friends who may be feeling a bit cheetah-like as sunnier weather is finally arriving in the northern hemisphere!

Come with me for just a second as I talk about prevention first--

When I was living in Europe, I made a point of visiting the French pharmacies—famous for their amazing skincare options. I would always ask the person at the counter what their first recommendation was before I got lost and overwhelmed in the beautifully stocked aisles. Guess what they always recommended first! Sunscreen. “You need a high-quality sun protection before you should worry about anything else,” one serious French woman told me.

I’m guessing you already know and have heard this at least a million times, how important it is to wear sunscreen every single day! No surprises there. SPF is preventative and THE MOST ESSENTIAL PART of your every-day skincare. Even in the winter (yep), even on a cloudy day (yes), AND even if you’re indoors all day (I’m getting serious with this one). Here’s a surprising skin fact: Even though putting on sunscreen daily is pretty easy, most people don’t bother. A whopping 69.1 percent of women and 85.7 percent of men don’t wear sunscreen when they’ll be outdoors for more than an hour, according to a 2015 article in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatologists.

Here is why sunscreen is so vital and what you need to understand:

UVA and UVB rays--ALL LIGHT--damages the DNA in your skin cells within minutes and contributes to skin cancer through compromising the immune response. Your immune system will repair some of this damage (isn’t that amazing?!), but it cannot repair all of it. Leathery skin, dark spots and mottled pigmentation (that animal print) come to the surface as a reaction of the immune system to protect the skin against further damage, and wrinkles develop more rapidly. Overtime, the remaining DNA damage can cause the mutations that lead to skin cancer. Sunscreen use not only reduces the risk of skin cancer and sunburn, it also reduces the ageing effects of the sun.  

There are two main parts of sunscreen that work together to protect your skin—the active ingredient, and the emulsion. The active ingredient does the skin protection work and works by UV reflectors and UV absorbers. UV absorbers are chemicals that absorb UV radiation and convert it to a very low level of heat. Don’t let the word “chemical” worry you—every substance in our existence is a chemical from “natural” substances to synthetics. UV “reflectors” are mostly made up of oxides, like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, that absorb and scatter UV radiation, decreasing the potential for damage, which means you’ll be protecting your skin and your DNA.

The emulsion part of your sunscreen– the lotion, milk, cream, oil, foam or gel – is what carries the active ingredient. It is usually made up of some combination of oil and water, plus other goodies. These are important as they preserve the product so it lasts safely in your drawer or beach bag. They also help with water resistance, influence how the sunscreen feels and smells, and how well it binds to the skin.

Using a sunscreen that combines the best of both active ingredients and emulsion means the best protection for your skin and a formulation you’ll look forward to using daily, all over any exposed skin. Rodan+Fields recently released it’s latest innovation in its Essentials Face + Body Sunscreen with broad spectrum SPF 50+. This oil-free, lightweight sunscreen for face + body gives sheer defense against harmful UVA + UVB rays, created for active lifestyles with water + sweat resistance for up to 80 minutes. The formula works to moisturize skin without being greasy or sticky, and it’s non-comedogenic + non-acnegenic—which means you won’t have to worry about clogged or congested pores or breakouts. I love how smooth and dry it feels it feels on my skin and that it leaves my skin feeling soft and balanced. The peace of mind of the sun protection is super valuable, too.  

Back to that cheetah skin! Making SPF a conscious and empowering part of your skin routine every morning will do more good than you’ll ever be able to fully measure, and I’m not just talking about your face here! Remember your neck, chest, arms and hands--ANY part of your body that isn’t covered should get the royal treatment from you and your SPF. And you should view it as just that, ROYAL TREATMENT.  

If you have questions on which sunscreen is right for your skin (yes, there are lots to choose from for different skin types and concerns), I offer a custom match of the best protection and wearability for you.  

Now, let’s get to treatment. If you’re over the age of 30, you’re likely already seeing sun damage show up in your skin in ways you haven’t ever noticed before. The dark patches can significantly increase into your thirties and beyond as a hormonal response, as well. Melasma can happen when there’s an increase in estrogen-type hormones (pregnancy or birth control pills). It’s usually on the outer parts of the face, forehead, and upper lip. These hormone-triggered deposits of pigment cannot really be prevented, but sun exposure will make it worse. The good news is they can be treated.

Age spots are flat deposits of hyperpigmentation on the skin occurring especially among older people. This one we can blame entirely on sun exposure. Some skin is more prone to it and of course the level of protection and discipline in consistency of using protection is a huge factor. 

Reverse Lightening Regimen contains stellar skincare ingredients and formulations that can actually breakdown the deposits of pigment and turn down the melanin production to give you gradual and significant results for more even skin tone and no more “cheetah” look on your skin.

Proprietary Technology + Key Ingredients:
REVERSE Deep Exfoliating Wash
Alpha-hydroxy Acids: exfoliate dead skin cells and polish away dullness

REVERSE Skin Lightening Toner
2% Hydroquinone: gradually fades persistent skin discoloration and excessive pigmentation
Kojic Acid: brightens skin
Salicylic Acid: deep cleans and unclogs pores

REVERSE Skin Lightening Treatment
2% Hydroquinone: gradually fades persistent skin discoloration and excessive pigmentation

REVERSE Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ Sunscreen
Shieldrf Technology: provides prolonged broad spectrum protection and visibly decelerates early signs of aging 
Green Tea Extract & Vitamin E: soothe dry, irritated skin

Licorice & Mulberry Extracts: brighten dull-looking skin

Multi-Med Therapy is right ingredients, right formulations and right order to bring about transformative changes in your skin.

You will see a marked improvement--but always remember, being strict about your SPF is key to prevention during and after treatment. Also a caution: never use a skin lightening as a spot treatment as you’ll get a halo effect around the spot that lightens, too. Apply all over your face, just as you would your sunscreen, for an even and most effective treatment. 

Have you seen the effects of sun damage in your skin? I hope this information is helpful and especially motivates you to act to protect and treat your skin with a better understanding and determination to take better care of you.

Remember, it’s royal treatment!

xoxo,

Dayna

p.s. As always, you’re welcome to reach out for personalized help and recommendations for your skin.

Sources:

“How Does Sunscreen Work?”
”Who Needs Sunscreen? Everybody” “What Does SPF Mean?”