UV Damage: Your Solution-Base Guide to Surviving The Sun

The in-between season does things to people. Especially skin! With summer now behind us but coat weather not quite here, your skin may feel a little hit-and-miss, and UV damage may start to surface. Summer and winter are distinct times that skin needs specific things like added SPF awareness or more hydration. However, the in-between weather is an excellent season to take stock of what happened while you were enjoying all those rays. Are you seeing more superficial ageing? Do eye wrinkles crease every time you smile? And what’s the deal with dehydration? It seems like it’s more than just a summer or winter thing. As you pack away those cossies, think about your skin and what to treat now for a healthy face and body in the coming months. 

UV Damage: Conditions That Need Solution-Based Thinking

Sun damaged skin is a simple process. Just minutes in the sun each day will show up as conditions like fine lines and wrinkles, age spots (sun spots), and dryness that leaves your skin feeling tight with a flaky look. Specific areas that can instantly age you are your eyes – yes, even with those huge sunnies you love to wear. Crow’s feet work just like other forms of UV damage; the skin basically thins. And the more and more you bake it in the sun (even just driving or walking without sunscreen), UV exposure breaks down your natural collagen and interferes with new supplies being made. The sun also attacks your skin’s elastin. And the bad news still is known to cause inflammation.

All this – annoyingly – is a real recipe for ageing. As we’re in the sun so much, and often without intending to be, not only is SPF application a no-brainer but so is keeping on top of treating the damage. Whether your tick box is prejuvenation (preventing ageing) or advanced treatments, start with your goal and work backwards to find your best skin therapy. 

Ageing Chest: Is It Looking Older Than Your Face?

One zone of UV ageing not to overlook is how the sun affects your chest. Did you know that your decolletage is especially vulnerable to the sun? It’s a delicate area of skin, and if your face gets all the SPF attention, your chest is at risk. Do you need to work on those lines and evening out the colour from below your neck? There are loads of options; light solutions like Limelight get to work on freckled, uneven skin tone, red, blotchy or brown spots that may have been hard to treat before.

Now fancy a chest treatment that also helps with those crow’s feet? If you’re looking for a hard hitter (especially during less exposed winter), Endymed FSR uses heat energy to target areas like the eye zone and chest. This high-tech therapy is safe for all skin tones – and very low risk – so you can work on texture issues like wrinkles and skin tightening. 

Love or hate it (we see you winter people); the sun is South Africa’s biggest friend – but unfortunately, skin’s biggest foe. While it’s not as strong, take the cooler weather to focus on getting face fabulous. For some, that may mean very serious treatments (and now really is the time); for others, it may mean pushing hydration with clever medical facials like HydraTouch. Whatever your skin needs this winter, don’t let UV damage equal ageing. Your “Before” and “After” is waiting.