The sun is vital to the survival of our planet as we know it. It is a source of light, warmth, and imperative to the life cycle of all living things. Excessive sun exposure is also the leading cause of premature aging. So much, in fact, that scientific research estimate that the sun is responsible for up to 80% of the skin's aging. That statistic aloneis simply incredible. Unprotected daily exposure to UV sunlight is causing you to age at an accelerated pace.
Sunlight can be detrimental to your skin because of the ultraviolet (UV) radiation that the sun emits resulting in free radical production in the human body. Free radicals are molecules that are chemically imbalanced due to a missing electron. In order to regain equilibrium, these electron-deficient molecules wreak cellular chaos on your body by feasting on electrons from other nearby molecules.
Free radicals are a serious threat to the human body. These imbalanced molecules attack and damage collagen fibers. These damaged fibers then deteriorate causing the skin to lose its elasticity and resilience resulting in premature aging of the skin.
Unsightly wrinkles, age spots, and a dull complexion are all direct effects of excessive free radical production in the body from UV sunlight. Excessive exposure is really the collective amount of time spent in the sun, as opposed to spending an afternoon at the beach. Everyday exposure has a much more damaging effect on the skin than occasional long hours in the sun. So, how do you protect yourself the sun's harmful UV radiation and stop the premature aging clock? Here are 4 methods of shielding your skin from the sun's UV rays in order of importance.
- Cover Up: The simplest and most effective means of protecting your skin from the sun's harmful UV rays is clothing. Tightly woven fabrics and darker colors are best when it comes to sun protection. Of course, this is dependent upon the season. Wearing such clothing in the summer months can bring upon a multitude of other undesirable sun-related conditions such as heat stroke.
- Sunscreen: Using sunscreen on a regular basis not only protects your skin against sunburn and skin cancer, but typical signs of premature aging. When choosing a sunscreen make sure that it contains at least one of the following active ingredients: avobenzone, zinc oxide, or titanium oxide. These three ingredients have been approved in the U.S. for protection against UVA-I light, the most harmful type of UV light because it penetrates to the deepest layers of the skin.
- Avoid Peak Hours: UV radiation emitted by the sun is strongest between the hours of10 AM and 4 PM. Limit extended exposure to sunlight during these peak hours, especially during the summer months when ultraviolet radiation is more intense.
- Use Antioxidant Protection: The skin uses antioxidants to ward off free radical production in the body. Vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene are all antioxidants. Skin creams containing vitamin C can be applied topically with good results. All skin creams containing vitamin C are not created equally. The best anti aging skin cream we've found joins vitamin C and palmitic acid to form Ascorbyl Palmitate which is 10 times more effective than vitamin C alone.
Defending your skin with the above mentioned methods will undoubtedly reduce if not eliminate your chances of premature aging due to overexposure to sunlight. The above mentioned product possessing the breakthrough ingredient, Ascorbyl Palmitate, is called LifeCell. LifeCell is an all-in-one anti wrinkle cream, firming cream, 24-hour moisturizer, age-spot reducer, corrective eye cream treatment, lip-plumper and make-up base! Remember, by making small adjustments in your lifestyle habits now, you will be reaping the benefits well into your later years.
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