24th March, Mumbai: Our skin changes as we get older, including losing some of its flexibility, developing fine lines and wrinkles, and becoming discolored. While some of these alterations are a normal component of aging, others are brought on by environmental factors, such as sun damage. Thankfully, sunscreen may shield our skin from these harmful impacts and may even halt the aging process.
Protecting the skin from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation is one of the main ways sunscreen works to delay the onset of aging. These rays may harm the skin in a number of ways, including drying it out, discoloring it, and breaking down the protein’s collagen and elastin, which are crucial for skin suppleness. As these support structures fail, wrinkles and drooping skin result.
Sunscreen functions by absorbing or preventing UV radiation before they reach the skin. UVA and UVB are the two forms of UV radiation that can harm the skin. UVB rays are shorter and mostly have an impact on the skin’s surface, but UVA rays are longer and can penetrate deeply into the skin. While some sunscreens offer protection from both types of UV radiation, others only offer partial coverage.
Sunscreen may assist in preventing the development of age spots, commonly referred to as sunspots or liver spots, in addition to shielding the skin from UV radiation. The pigment that gives our skin its colour, melanin, overproduces, which results in these dark blotches on the skin. These unattractive patches can develop as a consequence of the melanin being clumped together as a result of sun damage. Sunscreen can assist in preventing the development of these spots and may even assist in fading existing ones by shielding the skin from the sun’s damaging rays.
Lastly, sunscreen may also aid in preventing the growth of some skin cancers, such as melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma. Using sunscreen can help to lower your chance of developing certain malignancies, which are frequently brought on by extended exposure to the sun’s UV radiation.
In general, sunscreen is a crucial weapon in the battle against aging. Sunscreen can help to maintain the young and healthy appearance of your skin for many years to come by shielding the skin from UV radiation, preventing the development of age spots, and lowering the risk of skin cancer. If you choose to wear sunscreen outside, make sure to reapply it every two hours and choose one with an SPF of at least 30.