Which one of us does not like to sunbathe? After all, the feeling of warming sun on the body is so pleasant, and the golden skin colour – beautiful. However, sunbathing has a few downsides, and the biggest one is photo-ageing. Can it be remedied?

What is photo-ageing?

According to many specialists in the field of dermatology, long-term tanning without proper skin protection leads to damage to collagen and elastin fibres and accelerates skin ageing. What’s more, under the influence of the sun, many discolourations and other imperfections are likely to appear, which leads to an older-looking skin.

Sunbathe consciously 

The damage that can be caused to your skin by the sun should not override the benefits of tanning. Indeed, due to the sun, the body produces vitamin D responsible for the proper functioning of the body. On the other hand, the skin should be adequately protected from UV rays with the use of sunscreens. Such protection is mandatory in both winter and summer. Harmful radiation is present even on a cloudy day, and also on the mountain slope, where the sun bounces off the snow and reflects on the skin with twice as much power.

Protect your eyes

Sun protection should not only affect the skin, but also the eyes. UV radiation can lead to corneal burns and damage to the retina, it can even be the cause of a cataract. Therefore, when purchasing glasses, check whether they contain UVA and UVB filters. Sunglasses available in optical stores will definitely have such protection.

Did you know that…

If you cannot resist tanning outside or in a tanning studio, then you probably suffer from tanorexia. This is a mental disorder that involves the uncontrolled need to tan. People suffering from tanorexia believe that if the skin is brown, olive or golden colour means beauty and success. Meanwhile, too frequent sunbaths can cause serious problems, including skin cancer.