How to heal your skin after sun damage
Sun-damaged skin never feels like a good canvas. As you age, the effect of damage just worsens. While it seems like there is no going back to healthy skin, we’re here to tell you otherwise. Make notes on how you can win back your healthy skin!
1.What are the factors to look at after sun damage?
To heal from sun damage, let’s first look at how the sun damages your skin. Your skin has three main layers, out of which the epidermis is the outermost layer. The epidermis is again categorised into five layers. When the sun hits your skin, the first layer of the epidermis is damaged where the Natural Moisturising Factor (NMF) resides. So your skin starts to dry out. When the sun rays reach the bottom most layer of the epidermis aka. the fifth layer, it starts to produce melanin which is nothing but a protein that has brown pigment and acts like a natural sunscreen. If the sun's rays penetrate the next layer of skin of the three main layers, it leads to wrinkles and fine lines. It’s because after the epidermis, comes the dermis where you can find blood vessels, collagen, fibres, connective tissues, etc. now that you know how sun damages your skin, you’re ten times more like to ruffle for a sunscreen right away. But that won’t make a cut in repairing your skin. Here’s what you should look for to heal from sun damage:
- Soothing your skin
- Moisturising your skin
- Having a good dose of Antioxidants
- Always a protective layer over the skin
2.What can be the skincare routine to heal from sun damage?
Healing happens majorly at night when your body is resting. So we shall look at the nighttime routine to leverage the body’s ability to heal. But just in case you didn’t see it coming, your daytime routine must ALWAYS end with sunscreen. In case, you’re yet to find the perfect lightweight and non-greasy sunscreen that won’t weigh down on your skin as you hustle, then your search ends with Sunny side up. Moreover, it has Niacinamide, Citrus Acid, and Tomato Extracts to brighten your skin with a good dose of antioxidants. Night time routine can be the following:
- Cleanse: Try and pick a gentle cleanser that won’t strip off more from your already damaged skin.
- Tone: Toner for damaged skin works wonderfully since they provide an extra layer of hydration and soothing that your skin desperately needs. A toner that has Rosewater, Aloe Vera, Allantoin, etc. They work well to soothe your skin.
- Essence: Essence is another layer of hydration and repairing your skin needs. Try picking an essence that contains Centella Asiatica, Green Tea, Probiotics, etc. They help in repairing the skin by strengthening the barrier.
- Moisturise: Sun-damaged skin is usually dry or extremely oily due to lack of moisture. To replenish your NMF, pick a moisturiser that has PCA complexes, humectants or emollients. The point is to hydrate your skin overnight without blocking the pores.
Once you believe that your skin has healed, you can tackle the tan by using Vitamin C, AHAs, or Retinol. These are pretty strong active ingredients though. If you’re looking for the right option then you can try Light it up which has Retinol liposomes and is perfect for beginners who’ve never used Retinol. It also has Mulberry extract to lighten the skin. This can be used overnight or during the day too since it has UV filters too. What more can you ask for?
