Sometimes it seems like we have tectonic plates under our skin. You know what I mean: things seem to be constantly shifting, resulting in, yup, wrinkles! And sure it would be nice to think that this explanation could be applied to our skin—it’s just nature! This is supposed to happen—but it’s a disservice to ourselves to ignore the real problem. It has less to do with Mother Earth, and a lot more to do with Mr. Golden Sun.
Specifically, it is the sun’s UVA and UVB rays that is damaging our skin and causing our wrinkles. We have always known that the sun causes sunburns and tanning but it is also the number one cause of photoaging.
Photoaging, the acceleration of aging in our skin due to the damage done to it from long-term exposure of UV rays, is something we should all be trying to avoid.
“Preventing excessive UV exposure means less wrinkles, better texture of skin, a more even complexion and better elasticity of skin,” says Dr. Beatrice Wang, assistant professor of dermatology at McGill University.
This isn’t groundbreaking news. Most of us know to buy foundations and moisturizers that explicitly say SPF on the packaging and in the summer months we are diligent about applying sunscreen. Unfortunately, it’s not enough. So it begs the question, are we really educating ourselves about why we need it in the first place?
According to the Canadian Cancer Registry at StatCan, melanoma (skin) cancer is the third most common cancer among women. And it’s incurable! There is no such thing as chemotherapy for skin cancer, and worse of all, in most cases there is no such thing as remission or recovery.
And it’s not just the actual sun we need to worry about: there are still three provinces that don’t ban minors from going to tanning salons. In Manitoba, a minor just needs a signed note from a parent. In Alberta and Saskatchewan, a minor doesn’t need any sort of parental or doctoral permission.
If your jaw didn’t drop just now, then may this put it into perspective: the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology state that people who use a tanning bed before age 35 are 59% more likely to be diagnosed with melanoma cancer. And having more than 10 sessions is associated with subsequent diagnosis.
“UV-emitting tanning devices or machines are classified as carcinogenic to humans,” says Dr. Wang. But it is not just tanning beds; after all, wrinkles and premature aging still happen without ever stepping into a tanning salon.
This means that while your daughter thinks visiting a tanning salon is fulfilling her beauty dreams, she is inadvertently walking right into a nightmare. (We’re assuming that you know enough to STAY AWAY from tanning salons… opt for the spray tan if you must!)
It seems that even with all our suncare knowledge, we still don’t give as much importance to UV protection as we should. We invest a considerable amount of money on anti-aging and SPF-infused products but we skip out on the most crucial—and most affordable—skincare product of all. Sunscreen.
Dr. Wang suggests an effective sunscreen must contain titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, para-aminobenzoic acid, which is perfect for limiting and preventing excessive UV exposure.
The benefits of protecting our skin from daily sun exposure are innumerable. We’re talking a more even complexion, better elasticity of skin and better texture of skin. Which means less wrinkles! And the more we prevent additional wrinkles and lines to appear, the better our anti-aging products will work.
And here is the big secret that we all know but usually forget—you need to wear sunscreen all-year round. While we are cleansing and nourishing our skin all year, regardless of season, we are not as diligent in protecting and healing our skin.
“One of the problems I have with my patients is that they don’t understand that UVA is all year round,” says Dr. Wang, “They link it to heat. So they’ll say, ‘I don’t need to wear sunscreen in the wintertime. It’s cold.’”
UV rays are like the wind. We can’t see it but we will definitely feel the effects of it. And it sucks to be unknowingly damaging your skin because snow is a full-fledged sun reflector.
So the next time you apply your moisturizer, remember to apply sunscreen, too. And we can all fight the good fight against wrinkles, and more importantly, skin cancer.
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