The sun may feelgood, but it can wreak havoc on your skin. Besides the serious threat of cancer, UV rays can break down the skin’s collagen and elastin, causing fine lines and wrinkles, aging you before your time.
“Even if you spent your childhood basking in the sun, it doesn’t mean you have to live with the cosmetic damage,” explains Francesca Fusco, M.D., assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. “There’s a lot you can do to erase it and take years off your face.”
Here are simple, nonsurgical methods to rejuvenate your appearance.
Topical agents: With regular use, topical agents can reduce the production of pigment and slough away the top layer of skin that contains darkness and/or smooth wrinkles by stimulating the production of collagen.
Over-the counter age-erasing ingredients to look for include retinoids, kojic, glycolic, azelaic and ellagic acids, vitamin C, soy, hydroquinone, niacinamide, and licorice.
For higher-dose ingredients, you’ll need a prescription. Some include hydroquinone (for dark spots) or retinoids (for wrinkles and skin tone).
Because of their high strength, some prescription topicals can be irritating, so start out using these products every other or third day.
When your skin can tolerate it, increase to daily use and then twice daily. No matter which ingredients you choose, remember consistent use is key.
Peels: Peels are chemicals that are applied to skin. “They slough off the topmost layers of skin where some pigment cells reside and allow better penetration of skin lightening products,” Dr. Fusco tells Newsmax Health.
Several at-home peels are available and these contain ingredients like lactic, salicylic and glycolic acids, vitamin C, and peptides. For dark spots or liver spots, these do-it-yourself products work best if used several times a week with a topical fade cream and sunscreen. For a stronger peel, see your dermatologist.
Lasers: These light-based devices will treat brown spots, wrinkles, skin tone irregularities, and roughness. “Lasers target pigment in the superficial layer of skin and ablate the topmost layer, leaving it spotless and a bit tighter,” explains Dr. Fusco.
Many dermatologists favor a type of laser treatment called fractional resurfacing.
“This means it lasers microscopic columns of skin which are surrounded by untreated skin, allowing the skin to heal faster than other lasers,” says Dr. Fusco.
Though some laser treatments may give almost immediate results and require less downtime than others, you typically need one to three treatments at six-week intervals.
Moisturizers: Slathering on some lotion won’t make lines disappear, but lines and wrinkles stand out more when skin is dry and you’ve probably noticed that your complexion has gotten drier as you age. Just think of how the holes of a dry sponge are more obvious than those of a wet one. Look for products with hyaluronic acid, which plump and smooth skin.
Sunscreen: One important aspect of any anti-aging regimen is sunscreen. You may have heard that 80 percent of sun damage happens before the age of 18, but that’s simply not true. The more sun you get, the more damage you continue to get. That’s why sunscreen is key. Opt for a “broad-spectrum” sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher.
Rentinol Creams: You’ve probably heard about retinoids. But what are they?
“They’re the gold standard,” explains Dr. Fusco. “If they’re used prior to the appearance of cosmetic damage, they may delay and diminish it. When I see patients who report lots of sun exposure in their youth, I start them on a retinoid and keep them on it.”
Retinoids are creams derived from vitamin A that work by stimulating the production of collagen, making the skin thicker, stronger and more resistant to wrinkling.
You can find retinoid creams in most drugstores. Follow label instructions and maximize results by using the product consistently.
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