Print Article for : Sun And The Skin

Your Online Guide » Natural Beauty » Skin Care

[S1143]Sun And The Skin

by Benai, Ben

Your best oily against premature ageing is the daily use of a good sunscreen. The higher the SPF (sun protection factor), the oilier the cream generally is. So if you're prone to breakouts stick to SPF 15 or lower or try a gel formula.

Photo ageing a result of sun exposure, is a slow process. It may take several decades before it becomes fully noticeable. In fact 90% of sun damage occurs by the age of 20, only becoming visible in your early thirties and onwards. The degree of photo ageing is mainly determined by your skin type and total lifetime sun exposure, and the degree of damage to different areas of the body is directly proportional to the amount of sun light received (your hands and neck line for example are more likely to have sun damage and age spots than your stomach).seriously sun damaged skin has a thickened outer layer, making it feel dry, rough and leathery. There are often darkly pigmented areas or whitish spots where levels of pigment are higher or lower than normal. Pores may be dilated and small blood vessels become more obvious, sometimes forming broken or spider-like veins, and the skin may be mottled red or inflamed with in the dermis, the elastic fibers increase in quantity and thickness, manifesting as deep, fixed wrinkles and less pliable skin.

The science of sun burn

The sun energy that reaches the earth can be divided into three kinds of light, infrared and visible light, and ultraviolet radiation (UVR).UVR, in turn, consists of three different wave lengths: ultraviolet A, B and C.

Ultraviolet C is the shortest wave length and potentially the most damaging.DNA and proteins absorb UVCdue to their molecular structure. Fortunately for us, UVC is mostly absorbed in the atmosphere by the ozone layer. How ever, the current 'thinning 'of this layer has increased the amounts that reach our planet, especially in the southern hemisphere.

UVB is the most potent wave length as it can penetrate into the epidermis where it affects the DNA and can create lipid peroxides, precursors of free radicals. it is believed to generate most of the photo damage to skin.UVB is the wave length responsible for sunburn, and is at its most dangerous in the middle of a summer day, when transmitted through a blue sky. Less UVB is transmitted in the early mornings and late evenings, when the sun is lowest in the sky.

UVA is about 1000 times less damaging to the skin than UVB, but it is far from harmless.UVA rays are longer than UVB rays, and 90% of the sunlight reaching the earth is made up of UVA rays. They are the ageing rays, which penetrate deeper into the skin (the dermis) and are responsible for the damage to your collagen and elastin, and causing freckles, blotchiness and pigmentation problems. While UVB peaks at high noon in summer, UVA is fairly constant throughout the day and year and can penetrate cloud cover, tinted glass and clothing relatively easily.UVA also causes immune suppression, resulting in increased susceptibility to skin infections and even skin cancer.

Sunburn vs. suntan

There is no such thing as a safe tan.a suntan is actually the body's defense mechanism against too strong sun-light and the visible evidence of damage to the skin. Sunlight stimulates the skin to increase melanin supply is activated; it moves up towards the surface of the skin. Where it helps prevent burning and reduces the penetration of the sun's rays. The side effect is skin of that golden color that sun worshipers crave. Although dark-skinned people have more melanin in their skin and thus have a higher level of natural protection, they still need to use a sunscreen to avoid skin damage.

Sunburn on the other hand, can be equated to cooking your skin. If you don't apply sunscreen, or accidentally fall asleep in the sun, the surface blood vessels dilate (hence the redness), and an inflammatory response is induced to fight the damage, often causing blisters in the process. The redness occurs two to eight hours after severe sun exposure and blistering can occur after 12 to 24 hours. A frightening fact is that our skin remembers this burn, and the DNA may not repair perfectly. These errors in DNA can lead to skin cancer years later. So when you make your way to the coast for your next summer holiday, remember that although a tan fades quickly, your skin carries a permanent memory of the damage.

Protecting your skin

The time it takes for unprotected skin to turn red in the sun is known as the MED (minimal erythema dose).your skin type determines your MED. very fair skin, for example, will have a MED of about six minutes, olive toned skin can tolerate about 10 to 12 minutes and black skin usually has a MED of 18 to 20 minutes.SPF (sun protection factor) s a standard measure that indicates how much additional time above your MED you can spend in the sun with out getting burned. for example, if you can usually spend 10 minutes in the sun before burning, an spf 15 sunscreen will multiply that time by fifteen(10 minute * 15=150 minutes of sun time)
Note that a person with fair skin can spend far less time in the sun than someone with darker skin, even if they both apply the same level of spf.once your time is up, you should ideally get out of the sun. Reapplying sunscreen only means that you will cook more slowly, a bit like cooking your Sunday roast in the oven-once it's done you're simply crisping it! You should, how ever, always reapply sunscreen after swimming, perspiring and drying yourself off. The key is to use enough sunscreen for an even and full coverage. Double application is also important: apply the first layer 20 to 30 minutes before you go to the beach, and apply another layer as your coat of armour when you get into the sun.

We all do our best at keeping ourselves and our kids saturated with the best sunscreens. But even mothers with the best of intentions may sometimes miss an application for themselves or their children. Some damage is cumulative; it creeps up on us bought through years and years of exposure to the sun's rays. UV light is well known to cause a cascade of oxidative radical formation within our skin's tissues, thus leading to long-term degradation of collagen and other proteins. Damage does not only occur while we are in the sun -- much of it actually happens in the hours after sun exposure. Free radicals form upon first interaction with the sun's rays, and 'cascade' into various different forms until they've been quenched by our own natural antioxidant defenses. Fortunately, simple home-made aromathearpy formulas can effectively do the job as well.

Natural essential oils are highly effective antioxidants. Clove essential oil is one of the strongest natural antioxidants known, with and ORAC value of over 100,000 -- though it might be a little spicy to use on your face. There are a great many other essential oils with strong antioxidant action packed are known healers to the skin from which to choose. For example, a study just released by French scientists note that Myrrh essential oil has a profound oxygen quenching effect on free radicals produced by the interaction of UV rays and the skin's sebum. All essential oils used in skin care have the ability to absorb oxidative radicals, and they each have specific healing properties for the skin.

It's simple to compound your own formula: Choose from a few readily available oils commonly used in skin care, add them to one or more nourishing carrier oils and voilà! -- your own personally-tailored recipe. The obvious first choice is lavender. Lavender reduces inflammation and has natural constituents which stimulate healthy skin cell regeneration. Lavender in fact began the modern aromatherapy revolution with its quick healing of burns. Really, when we come in from sun over-exposure, even without a sunburn, we do have a mild burn on a cellular level. Lavender can be used undiluted on burned his skin, and will be an effective addition to any recipe.

Blue Tansy is a somewhat more rare essential oil with profound anti-inflammatory action. Blue Tansy can be used in very dilute amounts; it is often called for in recipes at only a one or 2% concentration. Blue tansy's wonderful aroma will have you bathing in your lotion just for its sweet berry-like scent. Blue tansy is especially effective for sensitive skin that may be prone to irritation. It is included in many eczema and allergy blends for its naturally-calming action. So if your skin is gentle, and the Sun treats it a little harshly, a little blue tansy can really help.

Everlasting essential oil, better known as Helichrysum Italicum, is a wonderful and profoundly healing oil called for when the most potent anti-inflammatory and regenerative effects are needed. If you're looking for one of the secret ingredients in natural skincare, Helichrysum is it. While expensive, just a small amount will have important healing effects. Helichrysum is used in wound healing and scar removal blends, and will do just as well for daily facial care. For folks with an eye toward really preventing any damage from the sun's rays, Helichrysum is a must. Like lavender Helichrysum can be used neat in emergencies, and at about 3% for a regular use skin recipes.

And for be perhaps most profound protective effects, choose Sea Buckthorn. This essential oil has been studied by Russian scientists as a protective agent for cosmonauts in outer space. It's deep red color indicates a high concentration of vitamin A like compounds, highly regarded for their skin healing properties. Steam distilled from the berries found across Europe, it too has a sweet fruity aroma loved by many. Sea Buckthorn is useful in virtually any skincare application, and most certainly for an after-sun formula. Add at one to 3% in your carrier base.

Beyond these primary ingredients, there are a few additional items you can include to really give your blend a boost. As mentioned earlier, Myrrh essential oil can be very helpful (add 5 to 15 drops per ounce); natural vitamin E (use at 10-20 drops per ounce) -- also an excellent antioxidant for the skin; and ascorbyl palmitate, fat-soluble form of vitamin C, recently becoming popular in support of maturing skin (500-1000mg per ounce can be effective). Your essential oils and other ingredients are added to what are called 'carrier oils' in aromatherapy. Carrier oils are natural cold-pressed oils from seeds, nuts, and fruit. Good choices for your after-sun formula are Avocado, Apricot Kernel, Jojoba, Tamanu and Rosehip seed. Avocado is very hydrating, with a plethora of nutrients. Apricot Kernel is quickly becoming more popular in aromatherapy skin care for its anti-inflammatory action. Jojoba is also hydrating and healing. Tamanu and Rosehip seed are the ultimate exotic skin care base oils. Tamanu is described in the aromatherapy literature for wound healing and scar reduction; Rosehip seed has been the subject of many University studies, and has been shown to reduce the appearance of sun damage.

Use your intuition to guide you for the best formula for yourself. These are a some excellent, effective recipes to give you a few ideas: make a base of one third Apricot Kernel, one third Tamanu, and one-third Rosehip seed. For each ounce of base, add 15 drops each of Lavender, Blue Tansy and Sea Buckhorn -- include 15 drops of vitamin E and 1/8 teaspoon of ascorbyl palimate for that extra nutraceutical enhancement. You might also try a base of Jojoba, Avocado, and Tamanu; to this add 15 drops each of myrrh, helichrysum, and Sea Buckthorn. While simple, these formulas are highly effective. They will reduce inflammation and quench oxidative radical activity in your skin on a cellular level. All of these oils are gentle enough for family members of all ages, though for the very young ones use only a quarter as much essential oil in the recipe. These oils are gentle enough for frequent application, and frequent application is encouraged for the long-term health and vibrancy of your skin.

Article Source : Exfoliate

About Author

Both Benai & Eric Allen are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Benai has sinced written about articles on various topics from Skin Care. Born from a value driven philosophy - to provide a wide range of reliable quality products assortment at discount prices, with timely delivery and superior customer service, overall to create a great shopping experienceBased in Hyderabad. Benai's top article generates over 1900 views. to your Favourites.

Eric Allen has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health, Fitness and Skin Care. The author is a consultant for Ananda Aromatherapy, found at .. Eric Allen's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.