So hopefully you’re a person who has taken the messages seriously and part of your morning skincare routine is the application of SPF – come rain, hail or shine. Because UVA and UVB rays penetrate each of these weather conditions, and that means they also penetrate your skin, leading to concerns such as skin cancer, burns, fine lines and pigmentation. Sunscreen as a stand alone product and/or in your foundation, is vital to skin health and for anti-ageing. Research has now shown there is another light to be concerned about – infrared radiation (IRA). Estee Lauder Companies have presented findings at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Investigative Dermatology (2017), that IRA actually penetrates more deeply than UV and visible light – with about 50% reaching the dermis, the layer where wrinkles are formed. The study noted excessive growth of blood vessels and weakening of the skin’s matrix (wrinkles!) and an excessive collagen breakdown to skin exposed to this IRA. Yes, we do need sunlight, and a certain amount of each of these light wavelengths is not harmful BUT it’s important to limit that exposure to the sun’s intensity. Wearing sunscreen will help regulate this and it really IS your best anti-ageing product.
Picture: Journal of Dermatological Science, Vol85,3,2017,pp.152-161
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