How to avoid premature photo-ageing

Your regular exposure to light from the sun, and your screen-led devices, is hastening the appearance of fine lines and pigmentation, writes Shilpi Madan

Everyone wants to look fresh, radiant and young forever. The sun, however, has other ideas. While exposure to the beaming yellow sunshine can fill up the amount of vitamin D that you need, the cumulative effect of the natural light and the blue light emitted by the screens we latch on to brings about photo-ageing, the slow ageing of our skin under the collective impact of light. Here is your decoder to guard against photo-ageing.

Light attack

The solar damage to our skin is brought on primarily by exposure to the sun. The harmful UVA and UVB rays badger us consistently, making way for freckles, sun spots and pigmentation. Says Mumbai-based dermatologist Dr Madhuri Agarwal, “photo-ageing is mainly solar ageing or ageing due to UV light exposure. As a consequence of the cumulative exposure to ultraviolet rays of the sun, starting from our childhood, a very small percentage — about 10% — of ageing can be due to HEV (high energy visible light) and infrared light (like microwave heat). The best way to address it is by using a broad spectrum sunscreen indoors too.”

How do you assess the intensity of the photodamage on your skin? “Examine your skin. The initial signs would be hyperpigmentation that is persistent and keeps getting darker by the day while open pores get increased in number and size. Gradually with increased photodamage, the skin becomes more rough, dehydrated with fine lines and uneven texture marking your complexion,” explains Dr Madhuri. “As it intensifies, you can start seeing deeper wrinkles, moles, age spots, butterfly-like pigment on cheeks (melasma) appearing.” It is the appearance of these tell-tale signs on the arms and legs that make you look older than you actually are. The blue light emitted by our electronic devices too wields damage to our skin. Even with anti-glare options in screens and spectacles, resetting brightness and rationing screen time altogether. “You also have the UV rays getting emitted from light in your house and the ambience. Photo-ageing can be doubled if your skin is already inflamed, or is dry, itchy, sensitive,” says Dr Rashmi Shetty, Mumbai-based dermatologist, Founder & Creator of Sol Skin Corp.

The skin barrier

Guard against the light. It is that simple. Make it a daily mandate to bring sunscreen into your skincare routine 365 days, whether you are staying indoors, or even when it is raining. “Take care of your skin barrier. If your skin barrier is well nourished, then any damage that happens on top, the skin can heal itself. Choose a good moisturiser with antioxidants, and apply sunscreen multiple times a day, choosing the right SPF, and quantity. In addition, use an oral antioxidant,” says Dr Shetty. The physiological ageing process commences around 20-25 years of age, with the tropical Indian sun demanding an SPF of 50 for our skin type. “You can use different bases, gel-based, cream-based, physical and chemical sunscreens. Physical sunscreens are like blocks, while chemical sunscreens absorb the sun rays and then reduce the damage,” she adds. Apply half a teaspoon over your face, neck and hands using broad spectrum coverage of both UVA & UVB. Face sunscreen can be gel or lotion formulation, body sunscreen can be lotion or spray or stick formulation. Photo-ageing is not reversible but there are ways of restoring an even tone in the skin. “Retinoids help in repairing cellular damage by producing collagen and improving cell turnover. Antioxidants like Vitamin C, ferulic acid, phytophenols and hydrating agents such as ceramides, sodium hyaluronate help to protect and rebuild the skin. In clinical procedures such as chemical peels, dermal infusion, laser resurfacing, micro-needling, radiofrequency, skin boosters and dermal fillers repair the photodamage to an extent,” says Dr Agarwal. And yes, while you use sun protection, remember to guard against the sun’s wrath using hats, scarves, sunglasses, and full-sleeved clothes.