Whilst you can’t prevent getting older there are some big factors in skin aging that you can prevent. Skin aging is caused by a combination of factors, and one of the biggest is sun damage. So if you want the best skin care, sunscreen is a huge part of that, but only a part.

It is the ultraviolet component of sunlight, and in particular UVA and UVB, that are dangerous to your skin. UVB causes sunburn, so blocking UVB radiation will prevent sunburn, however there is far more to preventing skin sun damage than merely blocking UVB.

The reason is that UVA radiation, although it doesn’t burn, is much more important to skin aging and also causes many skin cancers including some of the worst.

The FDA doesn’t require the labels of sunscreens to tell us how much UVA protection is included in the sunscreen and the result was that in the summer of 2008 there were only 29 percent of sunscreens that had some UVA protection. A year later that percentage increased to 70 percent but that still means that 30 percent of sunscreens on the market have no UVA protection. The results can be skin cancer and excessive skin aging.

And as there is no requirement for labelling it is difficult to tell from the label how much protection your sunscreen really offers. If you have premature skin aging then sun damage from UVA exposure may well be the cause even if you have used sunscreen carefully.

And there can even be ingredients in sunscreens, such as oxybenzone, which has been shown to be a hormone disruptor and even cause skin cancer.

You would expect that consumers could be confident that a sunscreen will prevent them from suffering sunburn, skin cancer and skin ageing, however at the moment that is not a fair assumption. When buying a sunscreen you need to be extremely careful.

And sun protection isn’t just about using a sunscreen. In fact the first method of sun protection that you turn to should be to avoid going out in the sun during the middle of the day in the summer, or to use a long sleeved shirt and hat if you do. Sunscreen is only necessary where unavoidable.

Many anti aging consumers are not aware that one of the major causes of skin aging, namely sun damage, is entirely preventable. From as young an age as possible, preferably starting today, promise to yourself that you will carefully prevent sun damage and you will also use the best anti aging products that are available. If you do that you’re well on your way to the best anti aging skin care that it’s possible to get.

There are certainly some very good anti aging products, (and some ineffective ones), and using these can help reverse skin ageing, but preventing sun damage is one of the most important things you can do to combat wrinkles and skin sagging in older age.

If you’d like to learn more about preventing wrinkles and skin sagging, and also more about the best anti aging products available, then visit my website.

Visit Restore My Skin to find out more about the Best Anti Aging Skin Products or more about Skin Sun Damage.

categories: skin care sunscreen, skin sun damage, skin care, natural skin care, moisturizers, anti aging, health, women, health and fitness, womens interests, alternative medicine, lifestyle, beauty, cosmetics