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Protecting Your Skin From the Sun

Enjoying the sun has its pros and cons. Your skin needs Vitamin D to keep producing healthy cells. However, as with just about anything in life, too much can become harmful. Intense, consistent sun exposure without protection from clothes or sunscreen will result in sunburn, leaving your skin vulnerable to damage. Below are some common questions about sun exposure and what you can do to diminish the danger and protect your skin.

What Is a Sunburn?

Soaking up the sun’s rays for 20 minutes might not seem long enough to do any real damage, but the results are surprising. Your skin reacts to overexposure to ultraviolet rays in the form of radiation burns, or sunburns. The first and most obvious sign of a sunburn is redness. Caused by dilated blood vessels, this response is your body’s inflammatory system sending out signals to start repairs.

Because of the burn, your skin will begin to lose natural hydration, causing tightness. The melanin pigment of the skin will slowly start to thicken, producing a tan. The darkened skin acts as a shield, preventing UV rays from penetrating the deeper layers of your skin and causing harmful damage to the DNA of cells.

What Are the Risks Of Sun Exposure?

There are both long-term and short-term dangers of sun damage, ranging from moderate to life-threatening.

  • Premature Signs of Aging: UV waves from the sun can penetrate beneath the epidermis layer into the dermis. There, they break down the collagen tissue, producing fine lines and wrinkles. Age spots, uneven skin pigmentation, and sagging due to loss of elasticity can result from overexposure to the sun.
  • Skin Cancer: A severe sunburn can lead to an increased risk of developing melanoma. Other forms of skin cancer are brought about by an accumulation of sun exposure over time. Melanoma can occur from brief, intense experiences such as sunburn blisters.

How Do I Protect Myself From Sun Damage?

When people think of sun defense, they often assume they only need it at the beach or while lounging by the pool. Sun exposure accumulates day after day, every time you are outside. If your lifestyle requires you to be in the sun frequently, here are some steps to protect your skin:

  • Use Sunscreen: Active ingredients combine to protect your skin against UV rays. Sunscreen comes in various forms, such as sprays, liquids, lotions, and powders.
  • Wear Sunglasses: When it comes to sunglasses, darker shades do not mean better. Protective lenses should block up to 99% of harmful UV rays. If there is no label claiming sun protection, do not assume the sunglasses offer UV protection. Large-framed sunglasses are more likely to shield your eyes from harsh sunlight coming in from all angles.
  • Avoid Tanning Beds: Many people believe that the UV rays in tanning beds aren’t harmful. However, both tanning beds and sun lamps contain harmful UV-A and UV-B waves. These rays link directly to long-term skin issues such as melanoma.

Repair & Rejuvenate Sun-Damaged Skin in Newport Beach

At Newport Beach MedSpa, we offer various treatments to repair sun-damaged skin and rejuvenate your appearance. Chemical peels and laser treatments are highly effective at reversing accumulated damage. We offer these skin resurfacing methods alongside advanced products to bring you the results you want.

Our professional, highly trained team will be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have. For more information on sun exposure risks and protection, contact Newport Beach MedSpa today.

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