What can you do to stop skin aging?

By Christopher Hankins, MD

Skin and the sunDid you know that 80% of aging of the skin is due to solar exposure? Yes, it is true. Only 20% of aging of the skin is intrinsic.

With that information in mind, you may be asking yourself what can I do to minimize my exposure? It is important to keep in

mind that all races are affected adversely by sun exposure. While it is true that darker skin is less likely to burn, solar damage

still occurs in all Fitzpatrick Skin Types (all colors of skin).

Here are a few tips in how you can minimize your exposure to the sun:

  1. Avoid sun exposure between the hours of 10 am – 2 pm. It is between these hours that 80% of all solar exposure occurs.
  2. Wear a wide brim hat, preferably with a 6-inch brim when you go into the sun. Baseball caps are totally inadequate and are good for sending a message but not for sun protection. I personally do this even on cloudy days because UV rays can still penetrate the clouds and result in skin damage with long term sun exposure.
  3. Wear a high rated SPF sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB. Be sure to read the label. Some people are sensitive to the chemicals that are present in most commercial products that can result in eye irritation. For this purpose, we recommend a non-chemical formulated sunscreen that is zinc oxide based. I have read many articles that say that for any sunscreen with an SPF over 15, the law of diminishing returns sets in, but personally, I use nothing but the best sunscreen available because even the best skin treatments available will not completely reverse severe sun damage to the skin.
  4. Avoid wearing sun dresses. This results in aging of the decollete. I see patients almost every day asking what can be done to address the aging of this area. In this case, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
  5. I also recommend investing in a good pair of sunglasses that are polarized and protect the eyes against UVA and UVB. I wear mine in the car every day.
  6. Make sure that the windows in your car have been treated to block UVA/UVB. If not, tint can be added to the windows for that purpose.
  7. Lastly, it follows without saying to avoid sunburn and don’t go out in the sun to get a tan. The tanning of the skin is a result of sun damage.

Visit Premier Plastic Surgery for aesthetic repairs we can make to your skin both non-surgically and surgically to address skin damage.

Schedule a
Consultation

Premier Plastic Surgery

Patient Resources

We’re here to help, with a number of patient resources designed to make your experience as comfortable as possible. Read through the materials below, and don’t hesitate to reach out and set up your consultation to learn more about what we can do for you.

Patient Forms

Online Forms

Financing

Learn More

Newsletter

Sign Up

Call Book Now Results