Almost everyone, at some time or another, has experienced a sunburn. What if there were things you could do to plump and firm your skin to reduce the effects of that sun damage?

I have to admit that in my teen years I spent many days slathered in baby oil laying in a lawn chair trying to soak up all the sun (I had some Sun In hair lightener in my hair trying to achieve that perfect beach blonde hair – but that is a story for a different day). And as a result, got a few sunburns that ranged from mild to significant.

Sun damage can occur anywhere on the body, but the face and décolletage tend to be the areas where the damage is most visible. The sun’s rays can break down collagen and elastin, the proteins that keep skin firm and smooth, and allow our skin to start showing fine lines and wrinkles.

The number one thing you can do to reduce sun damage is to use sunscreen! It is recommended that you use a minimum of SPF 30, even on those cloudy days. SPF 30 is going to block 97% of those harmful rays. It is recommended to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours.

Let’s talk about what you can do to help with any previously caused damage.

1. Skin Analysis

There are a couple of ways that you can get your skin analyzed to determine the amount of damage that you have, most of them are required to be done in the office with a skin care professional. I recently learned that Mary Kay has launched an app for that. This free tool allows you to snap a picture of your face, have it analyzed and sent to your Mary Kay consultant so they can make recommendations of products to help make improvements. You can even do the analysis again 6 – 8 weeks later and see the improvement!

2. Retinoids

“Their existence to the skin care industry is what the Queen is to the world: royalty.”

I love that statement, and I wholeheartedly agree. Retinoids help with cellular turnover, which is when your body sheds the dead skin cells, making way for the new cell growth. They can help minimize the appearance of wrinkles, slow the breakdown of collagen and lighten brown spots caused by the sun. There are a large variety of retinoid products available both over the counter and by prescription.

I had the opportunity to talk with Mary Kay representative Wendy Kennedy and ask for her recommendation for a retinoid. She recommended their TimeWise Repair™ Volu-Firm™ Complex, Night Treatment with Retinol.

An independent customer study showed 71% of participants noticed improved skin firmness within 4 weeks, and 90% stated enhanced skin appearance.

3. Eat antioxidant rich foods

You read that correctly, the foods you eat can help to keep your skin more supple and smooth. Below are just a few examples of foods that can do this. For foods to have a lasting impact, they should be consumed consistently. Find foods you like that provide benefit and work to integrate them into your daily diet.

• Watermelon contains lycopene, which can act as a natural sunblock (Not a replacement for the 30 SPF we talked about earlier!).
• Carrots and leafy greens are rich in beta carotene, which our body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin A is vital for skin health as it assists in supporting the dermis and epidermis layers of your skin..
• Walnuts, hemp seeds, chia seeds and flax all provide omega-3 essential fatty acids. Omega-3 helps your skin to keep moisture in and irritants out.

4. Red light LED treatment

In a study completed in 2006, there was a statistically significant improvement in wrinkles when treated with devices that have between 633nm and 830nm wavelength. Participants noted improvements in softness, smoothness and firmness of their skin. The red light increases collagen production, increases fibroblast production, and increases circulation.

The Celluma LED light is the perfect device to use for this. The panel is flexible to get it as close to the skin as possible and delivers at a 640 nm wavelength.

5. Nano Vi™

The Nano Vi™ technology improves cellular activity by assisting the protein folding process. Proteins execute and direct every aspect of cellular activity. It is assumed that there are almost one million different proteins in the human body, thousands in each cell. If these proteins are not functioning correctly, oxidative stress damage can occur. A 30 minutes session of breathing the EZ water from Nano Vi can improve skin and the visible signs of aging.

6. Cryofacial™

During a Cryofacial™ a stream of cold air is applied to the scalp, face and neck. The cold air creates increased circulation, stimulates collagen production, and tightens and firms skin. You will leave your session with a healthy glow.

These are just a few of the options available for helping to reduce sun damage.  The first step should be to reduce the damage from happening by using sunscreen daily.  Start a regimen now to help repair the sun damage and stay consistent with those activities to achieve the best result.