Sun Damage Leads To Dark Spots, Crepey Skin & Damage — An Underrated Tip To Help

It’s that time of year in which I spend a lot of time thinking about preventative aging. Why? Because I’m spending so much more time outdoors in the sun (a good thing, I might add—outdoor time and sunshine are vital for a happy, healthy life). However, it can come with a not-so-good side effect: Sun damage. 

Sun damage not only leads to serious health conditions such as melanoma, but it accounts for up to 90% (!!!) of all visible signs of aging1, such as dark spots and crepey skin. That’s why proper sun care is essential.

Now when I say sun care, most folks immediately think I mean sunscreen. And I do! But that's not all I mean. Protecting yourself from the damaging effects of UV radiation requires a more thoughtful, well-rounded approach.

I talk about all the ways you’ll want to care for your skin while in the sun here, so it’s worth pursuing to get yourself up-to-speed on the latest. 

Another vital (but often overlooked) step is post-sun care. "Most people don't realize that taking care of your skin after sun exposure is just as important as taking preventive measures," board-certified dermatologist Kim Nichols, M.D., once told mindbodygreen. 

The most important step in your post-sun routine is to rehydrate your skin with a high-quality moisturizer. You’ll want to find a well-rounded moisturizer that has humectant, emollient, and antioxidant ingredients.

This will help attract water into the skin (thanks to the humectants), bolster the barrier and improve water retention (thanks to the emollients), and fight free radicals (thanks to the antioxidants). 

If that sounds like a tall order, the good news is that the hero ingredient of after-sun care also happens to be a humectant: aloe vera. Now isn’t that convenient? In addition to its humectant properties, the botanical is also an antioxidant that can help reduce inflammation and brighten overall tone. 

As for emollients, take your pick: there are options a-plenty! I often recommend oat extracts, such as colloidal oat or oat oil, as they have enhanced soothing properties.

You also need to load up on antioxidants. UV exposure triggers a cascade of free radicals in the body. Free radicals wreak havoc on the skin, resulting in collagen decline, fine lines, crepey skin, and discoloration.

Antioxidants, by definition, fight free radical damage. This makes them essential in post-sun care—or any skin care, really. Really, there's no upper limit to antioxidant protection—so use a variety and use them often!