Having sun damaged skin is frustrating and until recently, there really wasn't much that could be done about it. What follows is something of a “plan for life” that should help you improve your appearance and your skin's health, as time goes by. The necessary steps include protecting the area from further exposure to sunlight, improving your nutrient intake and using a high quality nutrient-rich moisturizer.

In most cases, the area with the most damage is the face. In order to shield your face from further sunlight, wear a hat with a brim that is wide enough to shade your entire face. If you are a woman, look for makeup that contains zinc oxide. It is the safest and most effective sun-block.

If you are a man, it may at times be necessary to use a sunscreen that contains zinc oxide on your face, neck or other parts of your body. Other sunscreens are less effective and some of them have actually been shown to do damage to the skin's cells. So, read the label carefully.

Sun damaged skin needs to be well nourished. Improving your nutrient intake, without increasing your caloric intake, will make a huge difference in the way that you look and feel. Several studies indicate that an omega 3 supplement improves the skin's structure and firmness. Other nutrients, such as soy isoflavones, vitamin E, C and beta-carotene were combined with the omega 3 supplement in one study. Volunteers saw results after 3-6 months of supplementation.

If you have sun damaged skin, you must also consider what kind of damage your eyes have incurred. UV and blue light from the sun play major roles in age-related eye diseases, like cataracts and macular degeneration. Beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, bilberry extract and other antioxidants will support the health of your eyes and may be able to repair some of the damage done by the sun.

In addition to increasing your nutrient intake by taking dietary supplements, you need to use a high quality nutrient-rich moisturizer daily and nightly. It should not contain petrolatum, mineral oil or paraffin wax. These interfere with the process that you are trying to support.

The skin has the ability to repair and replace itself. In 4-6 weeks, the outermost layer of skin is completely replaced. It is the only organ of the body that rejuvenates that quickly. In other words, your body can repair sun damaged skin, on its own, if protected and given the right tools. One of those tools is coenzyme Q10.

Research has shown that creams containing the antioxidant coenzyme Q10 reduce wrinkling and roughness within six weeks. An overall improvement in sun-damage of 30% or more has been seen in that time frame.

For best results, use a night cream that contains coenzyme Q10 and the highest grade of Shea butter. Shea butter has a “healing quotient” due to all of the nutrients it contains. Other ingredients to look for include bioactive keratin, natural vitamin E and avocado oil. Choose a moisturizer that is free of artificial preservatives and added fragrances, because they have a negative effect on the skin's health.

If you use a nutrient rich moisturizer, you should see an improvement in your sun damaged skin in just a few short weeks and if you follow the “plan”, you should continue to see improvement as time goes by.