Skin Care Blog

SUN DAMAGE                                         Fitzpatrick Classification Scale

UV Radiation and Wrinkles
Both UVA and UVB radiation cause wrinkles by breaking down collagen, creating free radicals, and inhibiting the natural repair mechanisms of the skin. Wrinkles are often due to the effect of sun and UV exposure over many years.

Sunscreen Ingredients
Sunscreens ingredients can be divided into compounds that  physically block radiation or compounds that absorb radiation. The radiation blockers are very effective at reducing the exposure of the skin to both UVA and UVB radiation.  However, a newer formulation of micronized titanium dioxide provides excellent protection.

 Picking the Proper Sunscreen
The SPF measures the amount of UVB absorption, but there is no method of reporting the UVA absorption. The only way to determine if a sunscreen protects against UVA and UVB radiation is to look at the ingredients. A good broad-spectrum sunscreen should have an SPF of at least 15 and contain  titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide. Daily Sunscreen
Sunscreen should be applied daily. The daily use of a low-SPF sunscreen (15 -20) has been shown to be more effective in preventing skin damage than the intermittent use of a higher SPF (30-50) sunscreen.

Treating Wrinkles with Alpha Hydroxy Acids

With increasing research into what causes  wrinkles and the  effects of photo aging, alpha hydroxy acids have increased greatly in popularity. Alpha hydroxy acids have been used for thousands of years as a skin-rejuvenating product. Cleopatra is reported to have bathed in sour mild (lactic acid) to improve her complexion. Now hydroxy acids are a common additive to numerous skin care products including moisturizers, cleanser, toners, and masks.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids Defined
Alpha hydroxy acids are derived from fruit and milk sugars. The most commonly used alpha hydroxy acids are glycolic acid and lactic acid because they have a special ability to penetrate the skin. They also have the most scientific data on their effectiveness and side effects.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 27th, 2008 at 2:16 pm and is filed under Skin Care. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.