Chances are, you or someone you know developed wrinkles uncommonly early. An entire industry centered on skin-care products, anti-aging creams and wrinkle moisturizers has been born from the eternal pursuit of getting rid of those wrinkles. While some people are genetically predisposed to aging more quickly than others, most simply receive too much unprotected exposure to the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays. Indeed, one of the most effective ways to prevent wrinkles is to use adequate protection from these rays.

While we can't avoid growing older, there are steps we can take to ensure our skin looks as youthful as possible as the years progress. There's no need to be resigned to looking older than your years while frantically applying creams and moisturizers to smooth the wrinkles. In this article, you'll discover how the sun's rays can cause wrinkles to develop early and what you can do to protect yourself.

The Effects Of Radiation

The ultraviolet rays that emanate from the sun travel with varying wavelengths. They're classified into multiple sects. While UVC rays are typically soaked up by the atmosphere before doing any damage to our skin, UVA and UVB rays are not. UVB rays are largely responsible for sunburns. They affect the outer layers of skin but don't penetrate much deeper. However, the radiation from these rays can cause skin cancer over time. UVA rays penetrate much more deeply. While both types of ultraviolet rays can cause wrinkles, UVA rays work more efficiently to accelerate your skin's aging process.

How Sunscreen Offers Protection

Using a sunscreen protects you from the radiation within the sun's ultraviolet rays. An effective sunscreen contains a variety of ingredients that can either absorb or block these rays. For example, Anthelios sunscreens have an ingredient called Mexoryl. This ingredient contains an agent called ecamsule that can absorb and release the ultraviolet rays as thermal energy. By releasing these rays, ecamsule can provide a veritable shield that prevents the radiation of the UV rays from causing your skin to age prematurely.

Choosing A Sunscreen

You've probably noticed that sunscreens have an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) number. This number reflects the level of UVB absorption provided by the product. The higher the number, the more protection it offers. Most people buy sunscreens based solely upon the SPF. However, doing so can give a false sense of security because the SPF only measures the level of protection from UVB rays. Remember, UVA rays are more efficient in causing wrinkles. Unfortunately, there's no way to measure and assign a number based upon UVA protection. When you're buying sunscreen, you should make certain that, like Anthelios sunscreens, it contains Mexoryl. The agent ecamsule within Mexoryl offers protection against the sun's UVA rays.

Planning Ahead To Avoid Wrinkles

It's not a mystery that the sun can be damaging to our skin. It can cause your skin to age more rapidly and develop wrinkles sooner than normal. Doctors and dermatologists have been telling us this for years. The key is knowing how to protect yourself. It's not simply a matter of choosing a sunscreen with a high SPF. You need protection against both UVB and UVA rays. Look at the ingredients. The sun protection you choose for your skin will determine how smooth and youthful your skin looks as you age.