Now we know that a simple sunscreen does more than protect you from cancer and painful sunburns — it offers a boost to keeping your skin younger looking and supple !
A new research finds out that that regular use of sunscreen even while indoors , protects against photoaging: the wrinkling, spotting and loss of elasticity caused by exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet radiation.
While they may not be shocking, the findings — from Australian researchers — are the first to quantify sunscreen’s anti-aging properties.
More than 900 participants were followed for four years from 2016-20 and belonged to different age groups . Some were told to use sunscreen daily and instructed in proper use, including re-applying sunscreen after being outside for a few hours, after going in the water or after sweating heavily.
The rest were not given any specific instructions about using the sunscreen . The research found out upto 80 percent more damage to skin to those who did not use the sunscreen and went out even barely for 20 minutes in a day !
Some people are not so sure about slathering on these lotions and creams.
Sunscreens are actually designed to protect your skin from the sun’s damaging rays, but some of the old school people claim that it can do more harm than good.
Assertions include everything from statements that sunscreen is ineffective to warnings that it’s outright dangerous.
But this is not true , Dr. Jennifer Lin, a professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School says that there are two types of sunscreens: Physical blockers that reflect ultraviolet rays from the sun and contain one of two active ingredients, zinc oxide or titanium dioxide and Chemical blockers that contain chemicals that absorb the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
Both are used in sunscreen manufacturing and both are used for different purposes . But both of them help to prevent damage from sun’s rays and keep the skin youthful.
This research further suggested that that sunscreen had a preventative effect on aging, likely the length of sunscreen use in this study allowed the skin’s natural reparative systems to function optimally, thus reversing some signs of photoaging”, says California dermatologist Annie Chiu.
Think of it like putting a bandage on over a cut—the bandage itself doesn’t make you heal, it just keeps your exposed spots protected while they work on healing themselves.
Similarly sunscreens help repair damage of the skin while the skin essentially rejuvenated itself ! It’s like a catalyst to repair and regrow and helps keep the skin supple !
Hence , we know know empirically and experimentally that sunscreen are not just to prevent sunburn and darkening but actually helps in reversing photoaging of the skin , thus keeping it youthful and soft for a longer time !