I like to nickname SPF (sun protection factor) my liquid youth, however, there are many more reasons other than vanity to slather sunscreen on every day - even if this is a major driver for you (guilty).
One of my favourite mottos is "prevention is better than cure" and nothing could be more true when it comes to wearing SPF to protect your skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays and maintaining good skin health. Whilst ageing is inevitable, photoageing from sun exposure is responsible for the majority of visible changes to the skin - including wrinkles, age spots and fine lines. The damage is accumulated throughout our lives, so how you treat your skin in your twenties will show in your forties & beyond - quite scary stuff.
In this post, I will outline the different types of UV rays + their damaging effects, why SPF should be a non-negational step in your daily skincare regime, how protecting your skin with SPF can help with numerous skin concerns, and then finally my top 5 SPF recommendations. Enjoy!
IMAGE SHOT BY LILI MAE KINNEY (Instagram: justlmkplz)
Before I dive in, I would like to make a quick note on our tan obsessed culture. I know a lot of people love to get a tan - I was absolutely one of them. Growing up in the Middle East I would lie out in the sun for hours slathered in essentially cooking oil on my quest to get a bronzed glow. Sadly this is one of the worst things you can do for skin health, as a tan is actually a sign that the skin has been damaged and is trying to protect itself. So, I have since embraced my natural much paler skin tone and I implore you to do the same.
I know it is easier said than done with there being such a strong media presence on tan = hot, however, I truly believe that all skin tones are beautiful and you should not have to either paint yourself in fake tan (where you often end up looking like a striped Cheeto) or spend so long in the sun unprotected that you cause huge amounts of cellular damage, massively increasing your risk for skin cancer. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a healthy tan from UV exposure.
Bottom line - enjoy time outside in the sun and get your vitamin D, but make sure you wear protection.
IMAGE SHOT BY LILI MAE KINNEY (Instagram: justlmkplz)
So, what exactly are UV rays & how are they damaging?
They're a form of electromagnetic radiation and our main source of them is from the sun. Below are the three main types:
UVA - think for A for AGEING. These rays are the lowest in energy and are known for causing cells to age (hello wrinkles & photo-age spots) as they can penetrate deeper into the skin than the other two types. UVA is also linked to skin cancer, but not as significantly as UVB & UVC.
UVB - think B for BURNING. These are mid-energy rays and the ones responsible for you looking like a lobster if you spend too long outside. They damage DNA directly and are a major cause of skin cancer. They don't penetrate as deeply as UVA.
UVC - think C for CANCER. These rays are the highest energy and fortunately react with our ozone layer, meaning they don't reach us on the ground. It is worth noting however that there are man-made UVC ray sources, which are primarily used to kill bacteria.
What skin concerns do UV rays impact & how?
NB - there are plenty more than the ones I have listed here, but I wanted to include some of the main concerns people have and not make this post too long!
Wrinkles & fine lines + leathery skin - a result of damage to DNA and molecular pathways.
The UV rays are essentially bad news for collagen & elastin - two structural proteins involved in skin architecture, which are responsible for keeping things tight and smooth. How exactly? The radiation increases the expression of some of the metalloproteinase (MMP) family, which degrade collagen and other proteins of the dermis. With less structural proteins and the skin being incorrectly rebuilt, you are left with wrinkles (mainly from reduced elastin) and a leathery texture (mainly from reduced collagen).
A picture can describe a 1000 words - see below for a visual representation:
Age/ liver spots - these form when excess melanin (pigment) is produced to protect your skin from UV exposure, which ramps up the production process. The patches appear when melanin is made in excess or if it clumps together.
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) - such as the little marks that are left behind after a spot. I know sometimes these are more annoying than the actual pimple itself, as they can take ages to fade, but one way to speed up their disappearance & help prevent them in the first place is to wear SPF. This is due to two reasons, firstly UV radiation induces inflammatory responses and secondly, UV increases melanin production, making the mark darker.
Melasma - notoriously one of the hardest skin conditions to treat. Melasma is a pigmentation disorder where melanocytes produce too much melanin, resulting in darker patches of skin - primarily on the face. The cause is not fully understood by doctors but is linked to hormonal factors, sun exposure & certain topical treatments as well as genetics. One of the best treatment & management options for it is SPF, as this prevents UV induced melanin production.
Spider veins - broken capillaries are a result of damage caused by UV rays, known as spider veins.
Enlarged pores - I have a detailed post on pores HERE, but essentially UV exposure can cause your pores to enlarge over time. How? UV radiation damages structural proteins collagen and elastin, which support the pore shape. When they're compromised, things start to become lax.
Rosacea - excess UV exposure is inflammatory and can exacerbate rosacea, causing increased redness & flushing.
Blotchy complexion (ruddiness) - aka aberrant blood vessels.
So as you can see UV rays are linked to quite a few skin concerns - wearing SPF daily is one of your keys to a youthful and even complexion.
OK, but I live in a cold, grey country - surely I don't have to worry about UV rays & wearing SPF?
Wrong! Even if you live somewhere like the UK where it rains all the time, you should still wear SPF every day. Why? UV rays are annoying little things and they still manage to reach us - even when it is cloudy. So it's better to be safe rather than sorry and get into the habit of applying it daily.
And finally, my TOP 5 SPF product recommendations:
This was v hard to narrow down, but I have selected 5 brands that are backed by science with broad-spectrum UVA & UVB protection and that I love + use personally. My absolute favourite would be Dr Sam's from this list, but they are all fabulous and listed in no particular order.
Heliocare 360 Fluid Cream SPF 50 LINK - they also have a gel version depending on your texture preference
CeraVe Ultra Light Moisturising Lotion SPF 30 LINK
La Roche-Posay LINK
SkinCeuticals Protect Sheer Defense (£41) LINK
Dr Sam's Flawless Sunscreen (£29) & Gossamer (£33) LINK I particularly love this one because it doesn't pill & works really well underneath makeup
With any SPF that you buy, please make sure that it is a broad-spectrum one with both UVA & UVB protection and at least SPF30 (you will thank me later I promise)!
I hope you enjoyed - if you have any questions or get any products let me know in the comments!
Lots of love,
Madeleine xoxo