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Will the sun cause my skin to age?

Two types of UV rays – UVA and UVB

  • UVA – cause tanning, wrinkles and ageing
  • UVB – cause sunburn and skin cancer

What Damage does the sun cause?

  • Fine lines
  • Wrinkles
  • Age spots
  • Freckles
  • Leathery skin
  • Hyperpigmentation

How do | tan with suncream on?

Big misconception is in this country is that a lower SPF will give you a ‘better’ tan than a higher SPF because more sun rays will get through. 

More sun rays will get through but will not give you a ‘better’ tan.

Tanning is the body’s way of telling you that the skin is in danger. When the rays hit the skin, it interacts with the melanin in the skin and causes you to tan. This is the first line of protection. 

The skin darkens to protect itself from eventual UVB rays to sunburns. However, the skin will only darken to certain degree before it exceeds the protection provided by melanin which leads to you burning and damaging the skin. 

Continuous exposure to UV rays including sunbeds will lead to premature ageing, making the skin tough and leathery, lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. 

Regardless if you’re wearing SPF10 or SPF50 the skin will darken to same level, but an SPF10 will go from a tan to burn 5 times quicker than an SPF50. 

So, an SPF50 will give you a gradual tan but if exposed for longer periods you will still burn.  

Good to apply chemical and physical SPF – 

Physical acts as a mirror and reflects the rays. 

Chemical deals with the rays that have penetrated. 

Application of SPF should be every few hours as the effectiveness drops over time, leaving you exposed to damaged skin, wrinkles, aged spot, hyperpigmentation.

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