There’s nothing quite like entering a new decade to encourage some reflection. As I near my 30th year, a truly exciting time, I’m looking back at the mistakes I made – some small oopsies, and bigger ones too – and thinking about how I’ve changed. Or what it is I can do to make up for these mishaps.
There’s one in particular that burns at the front of my mind, and that was my nasty habit of sun tanning. This act, this summer ritual, is embedded in Aussie culture, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t still trying to untangle my desire to lay like a lizard in the scorching sun.
The thing is, I know better now. The warnings that I pretended not to know, or not to care about, are front of mind today.
I am fortunate to have skin that rarely burns and forms a base tan quite easily, but this was to my detriment. Since I never really suffered from red and peeling skin after a long day at the beach, I believed myself to be immune to the effects of prolonged sun exposure. I dabbled with tanning oils, protected my face and shoulders but not much else, and laughed in the face of hats and umbrellas.
But let’s face the facts: the sun didn’t care for my attitude, my nonchalance. The sun knows no boundaries and lays UV rays wherever she dang well likes. Which we know to be the main cause of melanomas, skin cancer, and premature signs of ageing (hyperpigmentation, loss of elasticity). It just took me a while to accept it.
My intro to daily sun protection didn’t come from a place of vanity. I began using high-strength actives, like retinol and glycolic acid, and knew my skin would be extra susceptible to sun damage, and therefore needed protection.
And, sunscreen has evolved. They used to be heavy, greasy, and cause congestion, but with the amount of options out there today, it couldn’t be easier to find the right SPF for your skin type. I found ‘the one’ and had no trouble adding it to my morning routine. We introduce new serums without any fuss, so we should (and can) do the same with SPF protection.
Back to the beach - my love for long days spent on the sand hasn’t waned. But I have since invested in a groovy brolly, a wide brim hat and some chic cover ups. If you’re going to do it, do it in style, right?
In the latter half of my twenties, I began to make regular visits to a dermal clinician too. Whitney Gunn, at Do You Even Skin, has been looking after my little face and teaching me about the ways to try and reverse all that nasty sun damage. While she stresses that everyone’s treatment plans will vary (based on skin type, pigment, vascular concerns, and extent of UV damage – please see your own derm for a consultation), she has four key pieces of advice when it comes to treatments around sun damage:
1. Antioxidants, SPF, and Retinol
“Your skin's holy trinity! Vitamin C works to reduce pigmentation. SPF protects your skin from pesky UV rays. Retinol encourages cell turnover which helps to shift built up sun damage. Don't even think about skipping these essentials if you want to beat sun damage and stay glowy.”
2. Feel it to heal it
“Before developing a treatment plan it’s crucial to assess the skin, and for that, I rely on both visual and tactile analysis. Trust the hands and eyes of your skin expert to catch what you can't see, or might not know is cause for concern — sometimes the best tools are the oldest ones.”
3. Consistency is Queen
“Regular treatments like needling (helps to firm, rejuvenate and even the skin) and chemical peels (salicylic is a great place to start, and then move to retinol for a metabolic movement of the pigment), are a very smart way to insure future skin health.”
All I can say is, don’t do as I did. Instead, find a professional like Whitney to guide you out of the hideous mistakes from your twenties (if any), and start making sun-safe choices.
You won’t regret it. Neither will your skin.
Comments