Today we’re talking all about photo aging and the best way to prevent it!
So what exactly is photo aging? Simply put, photo aging is the damage to our skin that is caused by the sun and other light sources like blue light and infrared light.
UVA/UVB rays, along with blue light, HEV light, and infrared light, damage the skin (if not protected) and create premature aging, pigment issues, fine lines and wrinkles, and loss of collagen and elastin.
What are the different kinds of light that affect the skin?
● Blue/HEV light - this comes from your electronics like your phone, ipad, computer, TV, etc.
● Infrared light - this is light that isn’t visible, it’s more so a heat that is emitted from our devices
● UVA/UVB light - most people likely know about these already, but these are the damaging rays we get from the sun.
Environmental pollutants are also something to be concerned about when it comes to premature aging. Environmental pollutants cause free radical damage to the skin - this causes inflammation, breakdown of collagen, and flares lots of other dermatological issues.
Now that we’re all sufficiently concerned about these light sources, let’s talk about how we protect ourselves from them! In short, use iron oxides!! Iron oxides are found in most medical grade sunscreens and have
iron oxides as well as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Specifically, Iron Oxides are the ones that protect you against the full spectrum of light including blue/HEV and infrared as well as environmental pollutants. These are the gold standard for skin protection!
You will see some makeups that have Iron Oxides in them, however this generally isn’t enough coverage for your day to day wear. So I recommend that if you have a sunscreen that you really like but it doesn’t have iron oxides, you can stick to that sunscreen and then use a makeup with iron oxides on top of it to provide that little boost in protection.
Some brands that I love for professional sunscreen are Colorscience, SkinBetter Science, and Zo Skincare. You can shop all of these on my website www.stefanikappeldermatology.com
Find more information about iron oxides in my latest YouTube video below!
