We asked our good friend Dr Michele at QR8 for some BEAUTI-tips…
The most important skin aging factor is the damage caused by chronic exposure to the sun’s UV rays. It’s called photodamage or photoaging.
UV is everywhere every day. It’s not just exposure at the beach or park, the kind of UV exposure that does all the damage happens as you go about your daily routine, waiting for the bus, walking, picking up kids or driving your car.
Around 90% of changes we see in aged skin are caused by the sun. Rough, dry, wrinkled, sagging skin, uneven texture and tone are caused by the sun.
At QR8, we always tell people to do the butt test - Compare the skin on your butt or torso that doesn’t see as much sun and you can see what chronic sun exposure does.
UV exposure:
- Triggers melanin production that leads to the appearance of age spots, freckles and uneven skin tone.
- Tricks skin into producing skin cells to thicken the epidermis (the top layers of your skin), creating rough, thickened skin that doesn’t have any glow.
- Changes skin’s DNA both directly and indirectly by producing free radicals.
- Depletes the skin’s natural supply of antioxidants like Vitamin C, so they can’t prevent free radical damage.
- It also causes dilated blood vessels and up-regulates the hormones that break down collagen and elastin.
It’s not just cosmetic: UV exposure changes how skin functions and may also lead to melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer, which Australia has the highest rates of these in the world.
IMPORTANT: Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. Avoid high risk sun exposure. Wear a hat, protective clothing and sunglasses when exposed to the sun. Reapply frequently.
