How To Reverse Sun Damaged Skin

Everyone knows that spending too much time in the sun is bad news for your skin. The sun can cause your skin to age faster and develop wrinkles quickly.

Obviously the best approach is to limit how much time you spend in the sun, or protect your skin with sunscreen or sunblock.

But what can you do if your skin has already been damaged by the sun? And how can you prevent further sun damage to the skin?

Below is list of things you can do to reverse some of the damage that is associated with sun damaged skin, and also help to slow down the aging of the skin.

Anti-Aging Antioxidants

The sun and normal day to day living exposes your skin to a large amount of free radicals which then attack the skin causing it to age. The more free radicals you are exposed to, the faster your skin will age.

By increasing the amount of antioxidants you consume you can help to neutralise the harmful effects of these free radicals.

This can help to reverse sun damaged skin when combined with the other methods listed below, because it will give your skin a chance to repair and heal itself.

Taking antioxidants will also provide anti-aging benefits by slowing down the rate of skin aging.

Facial Anti-Aging Antioxidants

Whilst internal antioxidants will provide your whole body with protection, the surface of your skin will still be exposed to free radicals.

You can minimise the harmful effect they have on the skin by applying topical antioxidants.

Cosmeceuticals such as alpha lipoic acid, green tea extract and DMAE help to rebuild collagen and elastin. This makes the skin firmer and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

DMAE in particular can be very effect at helping to give a lift to sagging skin.

Facial Lymphatic Massage

To stimulate the natural healing ability of the skin give yourself a facial massage each day. This will help to get the lymph system moving, which then makes it more effective at removing toxins from under the surface of the skin.

You can also stimulate healing of the skin by splashing your face with warm and then cold water. The warm water will bring blood to the surface of your skin, and the cold water will draw it back deeper into the skin.

The overall effect of this is improved circulation to the skin. The best way to do this is in the shower by wetting your body with hot and then cold water.

Anti-Aging Fats

Some of the fat you eat is incorporated in the skin. If you eat lots of vegetable fat such as sunflower oil your skin will age quickly because this type of fat goes rancid very easily.

However by consuming more stable fats such as monounsaturated fats like olive oil, and saturated fats like coconut oil, your skin will be much more resistant to damage caused by free radicals.

The more resilient your skin is to damage, the greater its healing ability will be and the slower your skin will age.

Vitamin Based Cosmeceuticals

You can find many skin care products enriched with vitamins such as vitamin A, C, E, selenium and Co-Enzyme Q-10.

Skin care products which contain such ingredients will help to protect against free radicals, whilst also helping to rebuild collagen and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Microdermabrasion

If you have very severe sun damaged skin then you might want to consider microdermabrasion or laser skin resurfacing.

Both of these treatments can help to rebuild collagen, elastin and soothe pigmentation.

If you don’t get the results you hoped for with such treatments, you may want to opt for a face lift to get rid of sagging skin.

Retin A

Retin A rebuilds collagen and elastin which makes your skin firmer and reduces the appearance of wrinkles.

Retin A can also reverse sun damage done to the skin, although it will also increase the skins sensitivity to sunlight which means you will need to wear sunscreen whenever you go outside.

Anti-Aging Effects Of Emu Oil

Emu oil is perhaps one of the best things you can put on your skin. Not only does it have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects, but it also helps to make your skin thicker, rebuilds collagen and stimulates the natural healing ability of the skin.