Protecting your skin from the sun is crucial. Both UVA and UVB rays can cause skin damage and lead to cancer. No UV rays are safe. Exposure to UV rays is the primary cause of skin cancer, reaching the ground year-round. This damage can occur from brief, intense sun exposure or prolonged exposure. In this blog, we’ll explore tips to help you protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays.
Protect yourself through shade and clothing
It is important to seek shade, especially between 10AM and 4PM, and wear protective clothing like long-sleeved shirts, long pants/skirts, hats, and sunglasses. We also recommend wearing lightweight, comfortable clothes designed to protect against UV rays.
Use Sunscreen
Sunscreen is essential for preventing skin cancer, sunburn, premature aging, and other harmful effects of UV radiation. Incorporating sunscreen into your daily skincare routine is a simple yet effective way to safeguard your skin’s health and appearance. UV exposure can break down collagen fibers, leading to premature aging. Sunscreen is like a cozy blanket of protection for your collagen levels!
Chemical v. Physical Sunscreen
It is also essential to read the ingredients to know what kind of sunscreen to use. At Vega Vitality, we recommend physical sunscreens. Chemical sunscreens are made with organic carbon-based compounds that absorb into the skin and allow UVA/UVB rays to penetrate but convert them into non-damaging wavelengths of light and heat.
What we like about chemical sunscreens:
- Invisible options for deeper skin tones
- Lightweight consistency
- More water and sweat-resistant
What we don’t like about chemical sunscreens:
- You must wait 30 minutes after application for the chemical ingredients to become active before sun exposure.
- Chemical sunscreens break down quickly by the sun and must be reapplied every 2 hours.
- They might not be suitable for sensitive skin.
- Prone to clog pores
- More prone to allergic reactions
- It is not always reef-safe or environmentally friendly.
- Certain chemical filters are banned in some countries
- Trace amounts may enter the bloodstream
When looking at the ingredients in a physical sunscreen, you will usually find minerals such as titanium oxide and/or zinc oxide. These ingredients work like shields on top of the skin, creating a barrier that blocks and deflects UVA/UVB rays.
What we like about physical sunscreen:
- Works immediately when applied
- Safer for sensitive skin, melasma, children, and pregnant patients
- It doesn’t promote as much heat within the skin.
What we don’t like about physical sunscreen
- Some may leave a white cast, so we love the tinted options!
- At Vega Vitality, we only carry physical sunscreen products. We recommend sunscreens labeled as having broad-spectrum protection and an SPF of 30 or above.
Here are the top 3 sunscreen brands Vega recommends:
EltaMD, Revision Skincare, and Skin Better offer a range of high-quality, broad-spectrum sunscreens. They are formulated to feel weightless on the skin and are suitable for all skin types. These sunscreens provide excellent protection against the harmful effects of UV radiation and are free of common irritants.
Shop these in our store or on our site!
Sun Safe Treatments for Sun Damage
Proper sun safety is the first step in preventing sun damage. But what if the damage is already done? It’s still crucial to protect your skin using the tips we’ve previously mentioned and consider adding a treatment to help repair the damage. Still trying to figure out where to start? Don’t worry; here are some effective treatments for sun damage:
- HYDRAFACIAL MD® uses LED light therapy and booster serums to treat sun damage, starting with cleansing and exfoliation to uncover fresh skin and reduce sun spots.
- Chemical peels exfoliate outer skin layers, stimulate collagen production, and improve skin texture to treat sun damage effectively.
- VI Peels™ Precision Plus effectively suppresses UV-induced pigmentation and promotes rapid cell turnover for improved overall skin tone.
- BioRePeelCl3® is a 30% TCA peel that gently exfoliates the skin, boosts cell turnover, and reduces sun spots, hyperpigmentation, and uneven skin tone.
- Microneedling promotes collagen production and improves skin texture and tone, reducing the appearance of sunspots, fine lines, and wrinkles.
- Pro tip: Adding Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) to microneedling treatment can help improve healing time and reduce scars, wrinkles, and sun damage.
- Facial lasers repair sun damage by targeting pigmentation irregularities and stimulating collagen production.
- BBL™, specifically the Forever Young BBL™, treats sunspots, freckles, rosacea, and broken capillaries to promote younger-looking skin.
- HALO™ effectively treats sun damage due to its dual ablative and non-ablative wavelengths, targeting superficial and deeper layers of the skin affected by sun exposure.
- Moxi® Fractional Laser is safe and effective for treating sun damage in darker skin tones, targeting pigment irregularities, and promoting collagen production.
Ready to protect your skin under the sun?
Make sure shade and SPF are your BFFs all year round, and contact Vega Vitality to schedule a consultation to discuss treating your already sun-damaged skin today! During the consultation, we can discuss the treatment, address your potential concerns, and plan a customized schedule to help meet your aesthetic goals. Give us a call today!
