Can You Look up to 20 Years Younger by Avoiding the Sun?
New data says so
After revealing the scientific reason why some people don't appear to age (Gwen Stefani, we're looking at you), Olay has made another big discovery your skin will want to hear about.
As part of the beauty brand's largest-ever clinical research study with Harvard Medical School (it's serious science, people) they found that women who protect their skin from the sun could look up to 20 years younger than those with UV damaged skin.
TWENTY YEARS. Now that's interesting.
The bad news
Dr. Alexa Kimball, Professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School, presented at the big picture, saying: "These latest findings comparing UV exposed and UV protected skin across multiple decades show just how dramatic the extent of UV skin damage can be over a lifetime". Yikes.
Up to 80% of premature skin ageing comes from unprotected UV exposure – and not just the sun-baking-in-Bali-on-your-gap-year kind.
The incidental UV damage caused by simply being out and about without SPF on, or even sitting besides a glass window every day, takes its toll on your skin. And by toll we mean lines, loss of elasticity, sun spots, dullness and crinkles.
The good news
Don't worry, you don't have to lock yourself in a dark room or wear a 'face-kini' at the beach. Acting on the warning of protecting your skin against daily UV exposure can be done by diligence with your skincare.
Yep, Olay reckon the damage can be mitigated by a single daily application of a facial moisturiser that contains a broad-spectrum SPF – meaning it protects you from UVA and UVB rays.
Credit: Cosmopolitan