Proper skin care is no laughing matter, but one woman shared how her relatives used to joke about her beauty routine.
In the end, she had the last laugh.
Reddit user Missmisfit shared the anti-aging tip in a post.
“In the 1990s and early 2000s, my cousins used to tease me because I wore sunscreen but didn’t tan like them,” she said.
“They spent their summers in the sun tanning and their winters in tanning salons.”
But her trusty skincare routine paid off a few years later.
“They are between eight and 13 years younger than me,” she said.
“It doesn’t look like it.”
Dermatologists such as Dr. Michelle Green agree that sunscreen is important to prevent wrinkles and fine lines.
Green believes that the most affordable anti-aging treatment anyone can invest in is using sunscreen every day.
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She explains that the skin’s biggest enemy isn’t time, it’s the sun.
“Sunscreen is an essential part of your daily anti-ageing regimen as the sun is one of the biggest causes of premature ageing, wrinkles, fine lines and dark spots,” she told The Sun.
“Sunburn can also inhibit collagen production and reduce skin elasticity.”
Green added that sunscreen is just as important on cloudy days, since UV rays can penetrate through clouds.
For maximum protection,
“You should wear a sunscreen with an SPF of 50 or higher every day, even when the sun isn’t out,” she says.
“UV light passes through clouds and windows and is reflected by snow and rainwater.”
What is UPF and how is it different from SPF?
While SPF measures the effectiveness of sunscreen, UPF measures the effectiveness of sun-protective clothing.
UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, this specifies the amount of UV rays (both UVA and UVB) that can pass through the fabric and reach your skin.
UPF 50 blocks 98% of UV rays and is considered excellent, while UPF 30 is considered good and has the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation.
In general, dark clothing offers more protection than light clothing, and denser fabrics offer more protection than loosely woven fabrics.
According to REI, synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon also offer better sun protection than natural fibers.
On the other hand, SPF (Sun Protection Factor) measures how long it takes for your skin to redden when exposed to UVB rays alone.
Green added that her main skin care priority is sun protection, and that quality ingredients in her skin care are second only to a proper anti-ageing regimen.
“It’s important to look for active ingredients that have been clinically studied and proven to serve a specific purpose on the skin,” she said.
Green explained that a good anti-aging routine doesn’t need to cost a fortune, but rather involves using a gentle cleanser, moisturizer, and a broad-spectrum sunscreen.
“An anti-aging skin care routine doesn’t have to be complicated with a million different products,” she says.
If users wished, they were encouraged to add special serums containing active ingredients targeted to specific concerns.
“[It] “It should contain ingredients like peptides, antioxidants and retinol to address anti-aging concerns in the skin like fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation and dullness,” she said.