When summer rolls around, we all head outside, absorbing as many rays as we can. And the proof is in the numbers, with the top five summertime activities being barbeques, going to the beach, attending festivals, going for a hike, and exploring nature. When the sun comes out, people flock to the outdoors with good reason. We need the sun’s rays to survive.
However, many of us go a little overboard. Some lather on tanning oil or skip sunscreen to make sure we receive as much pigmentation as possible. And yes, we need vitamin D, but overexposure leads to sun damage, including sunspots and wrinkles.
However, it doesn’t end there. Neglectful sun exposure can also lead to skin cancer. While the damage has already been done from years of sunbathing and tanning oils, there are ways we can repair sun-damaged skin, reduce wrinkles and sunspots.
It can help repair the sun damage done to our skin and turn back the clock with red light therapy.
What is Sun Damage?
In the end, skin damage comes from overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. When we sunbathe, our skin naturally responds to the sun by protecting itself from UV light. What does our body do? Well, it produces melanin, which darkens the skin to reflect the UV light. So your summer tan is actually a defense mechanism. There are a few different types of sun damage to be aware of:
Melasma: It’s an overproduction of melanin that causes brown or gray patches to form on the skin.
Wrinkles: UV light breaks down the collagen and elastin in the skin, losing its firmness and causing wrinkles.
Sunburn: Sunburns are an inflammatory reaction to UV radiation damage to the skin. The body responds by repairing or removing the damaged cells, which results in redness and peeling.
Sun Spots: Overexposure to UV rays causes an increase of melanin production that builds up in clusters, producing dark spots on the skin.
Actinic Keratosis (AK): Causes a scaly patch of skin on the body from overexposure to UV light. This is particularly dangerous as around 10% of actinic keratosis becomes cancerous.
How Red Light Therapy Reverses Sun Damage
If you’re wondering whether sun damage is reversible or not, the answer is yes. Red light therapy uses infrared and red light to enhance the body’s healing process. Red light therapy increases the body’s collagen, elastin, and immune response; it can remove and repair dead or damaged skin cells.
By increasing collagen production, it’ll help smooth and firm the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Besides, red light therapy also protects existing collagen, which helps keep the skin’s elasticity.
However, red light therapy doesn’t only reduce fine lines and wrinkles. It can also help with more serious skin conditions such as actinic keratosis. It can aid in removing actinic keratosis spots from the skin with photosensitizing medication and red light therapy.
Sun damage is the main cause of aging skin and can lead to serious health issues. Naturally, some sun damage forms cannot be treated, especially for those who work consistently outdoors. However, tackling sunspots, wrinkles, sunburns, and actinic keratosis is achievable through red light therapy treatment.
It’s important to point out that while red light therapy does reverse sun damage, it can prevent future damage — but you should always wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen when outdoors and reapply after swimming or sweating.
Reversing past mistakes are possible with light therapy, but we also want to look at the future. Luna’s red light therapy will tackle previous sun damage and rejuvenate the skin, while sunscreen will prevent future damage.
We hope you continue to enjoy the sun’s incredible rays safely while enjoying the incredible skincare results of Lunas light panels.
