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My Skin Is Sun Damaged, Is There Anything I Can Do?

By David McEvoy

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 15Mar2010
Word count: 924
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The good news is that there is always something that you can do to help damaged skin. However, the important thing is first of all to prevent any further damage which means you have stop whatever you were doing that caused that damage in the first place.

Despite the fact that the skin is the largest organ in the body and one of its function is to help protect us by providing an outer shell, it is pretty fragile really. It can become damaged by age, environmental factors, chemicals, physical trauma, and even a poor diet.

Skin damage caused by age

It is natural for the skin to age but that doesn't mean you should let yourself go and allow nature to take its toll, older skin can still look great. If the skin looks healthy and radiant then a few small lines and wrinkles aren't going to take that away, on the contrary, they can even add character.

As we grow older our skin naturally starts to lose collagen and elasticity so will inevitably begin to sag and droop. It also becomes thinner and transparent and loses its ability to retain moisture which can result in dry skin that feels rough to the touch.

Part of the secret to keeping older skin looking good or indeed to delaying the ageing process on the skin is to keep the skin moisturised. You could also try using products that contain Palmitoleic acid which is an Omega 7 fatty acid that is found in sebum.

You can also find Palmitic acid in Seabuckthorn oil, Gevuina oil, and Macadamia oil and to a lesser extent in Avocado oil. The amount of Palmitic acid in our sebum reduces as we age and some studies have shown that products containing Palmitic acid can help rejuvenate the skin. Other ingredients helpful for mature skin include Squalane and AHAs (Alphahydroxy acids) which are usually in the form of lactic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid and glycolic acid.

Skin damage caused by environmental factors

By far the biggest environmental factor that can damage the skin is solar radiation from the sun. People with fair or sensitive skin might see the negative effect of the suns rays in a matter of minutes as their skin turns red and feels hot to the touch. It's important to stay out of the sun as much as possible if you want to keep your skin looking young and radiant. People who have spent many years sun worshipping when they were younger pay the price as they grow older with prematurely aged skin with many lines and wrinkles.

It's important to protect your skin from the sun by using products containing a sunscreen with a protection factor suitable for your skin. If you have sensitive skin that burns easily then you need a higher sun protection factor than darker skin.

The skin can also become damaged by wind, rain, changes in temperatures, central heating and air conditioning systems, sitting in front of a computer all day, smoking, smog, traffic fumes and so on. If your skin is already damaged you can help protect your skin from these elements by using a good quality moisturiser that has been formulated for damaged skin.

Skin damaged by chemicals and physical trauma

It's a good thing that your skin can renew itself every 28 days or so as it gives you the opportunity to have a fresh skin on a regular basis. If you regularly use harsh abrasives on your skin then you aren't going to do your skin any good.

Get into the habit of treating your skin gently and washing your hands before touching the skin on your face. Avoid rubbing harshly with a towel or using rough grains in any exfoliating products. If your skin has been scarred then you could try using products containing vitamin E which will help damaged skin to heal.

Any skin care products you buy should be as natural as possible. Get into the habit of reading the labels on skin products so that you can avoid potentially damaging chemicals. There are plenty of online lists of these chemicals you can familiarise yourself with.

Never ever use soap on your face as soap can clog up the pores and prevent the sebum from doing its job so your skin ends up dry and flaky and always use warm water as opposed to hot water when washing your skin.

Skin damage by poor diet

Many people underestimate the effect that a poor diet can have on the skin. The skin needs the usual array of vitamins and other nutrients that can be found in eating a diet that consists of a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, white and lean meats, pulses and grains and by drinking plenty of water. This is simply common sense. However, what many people aren't aware of the positive effect that Omega 3 fatty acids can have on the skin.

You can find Omega 3 fatty acids in some vegetable sources however a really important one known as Eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA can only really be found in fatty fish or in fish oil. Unfortunately very few people get enough EPA in their diet and one of the first symptoms that there is a lack of this essential fatty acid in the diet is unhealthy looking skin. If you want to take fish oil to help your skin, look for one that contains high quantities of EPA and one that has been purified to remove any toxins.

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