Despite the natural radiance and boost of Vitamin D that sun exposure can provide, long-term UV radiation has been found to cause up to 80% premature skin aging. Once DNA damage is induced by too much sun exposure, it cannot be reversed; however, the appearance of your skin may still be improved through post-exposure treatments. But the trick here is to prevent, not to cure – thus sun protection is a must-have year-long, not only in the height of summer. Don’t forget that sun damage to the skin is irreversible!

As a highly qualified aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgeon, Dr. Rozina Ali supports prevention instead of attempts at treatment after the damage has been done. Dr. Ali considers that the best anti-aging strategy is to look after yourself and that the most effective aesthetic rejuvenation is about aging elegantly, mitigating any adverse factors (smoking, sugar, sun, stress), and making the most of yourself at every stage. Her expertise lies in all aspects of breast and face aesthetics, surgical and non-surgical. Dr. Ali has enlightened us with the implications of sun damage and other external threats to our skin, along with beneficial ways we can combat these effects. Equip yourself now to protect your skin!

About sun damage and other risk factors

Sun damage is more than just visible redness and sunburn. Beneath the surface, UV rays damage healthy skin cells, collagen, and elastin, which can lead to many skin complications and problems. These can lead to redness, the appearance of dark spots, lines, freckles, wrinkles, or even more serious skin conditions such as skin cancer. Skin damage accumulates over time, starting with early years of sunburn. The more sun damage is produced, the greater the risk of developing certain serious problems. What you need to know is that subsequent UV damage can occur even when there is no obvious burn.

Of course, our skin also suffers from various factors in everyday life such as pollution, bad habits, or high levels of cortisol. The range of effects of pollution on the skin is quite wide. It can lead to dehydration, disruption of the skin microbiome, damage to the skin barrier, premature aging, and even skin cancer. Often, it can also worsen existing skin conditions, such as acne, contact dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis. Similarly, harmful habits such as smoking or drinking alcohol can lead to skin dehydration or other conditions that contribute to premature aging of the skin. Also, high levels of stress resulting in high or sustained levels of stress hormones such as cortisol can be harmful to your skin. Cortisol triggers increased oil production that can clog pores and lead to breakouts. Additionally, chronic stress leads to inflammation. Stress accelerates the aging process because when we are stressed, we experience a decrease in the production of collagen, elastin, and other skin proteins that reduce skin elasticity and contribute to the formation of wrinkles.

Unfortunately, much damage to your skin is irreversible, but there are steps you can take to prevent or mitigate some of the physical signs of sun damage and to slow down skin aging. For these problems, non-surgical treatments are especially recommended, which used wisely, can help you look and feel your best earlier and for longer. Dr. Rozina Ali always recommends including them in your regular lifestyle to obtain the best results, “little and often” is the antidote to “too much, too soon”

Prevention: A Consistent Skincare routine

If you’d have Dr. Ali choose only one skincare product to use for the rest of her life, it would undoubtedly be sun protection! This is because using a good sun protection product on a daily basis will help protect your skin from sun damage (UV radiation is also present in the winter months) whilst also hydrating your skin.

What to choose? Broad-spectrum sunscreens with SPF values of 30+ (reapply 2hrly or as often as needed, according to the instructions). Dr. Rozina Ali recommends products from the Mesoestetic, NeoStrata, Obagi, and Skinbetter Science ranges. They help to give the skin a better appearance, regular skin function, hydration, and more. If you want to find out which treatments and products are right for you, book a consultation now and find out.

Mitigate damage

As mentioned previously, there are methods you can use to prevent the damage caused by these harmful factors, and also improve certain problems. Some of the most effective methods are non-surgical treatments. Non-Surgical Rejuvenation (NSR) is subtle and elegant. It is suitable for anyone who cares about looking their best, it has minimal downtime and used in combination, enhances the effects of surgical procedures and skincare. Dr. Rozina Ali is a huge proponent of self-improvement, and some treatments she recommends in this case are:

Microneedling

Microneedling is a non-surgical, minimally invasive skin procedure that Dr. Ali, one of the most popular female plastic surgeons in the UK, uses to improve skin texture, reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and acne scars. The main benefit is increased collagen production, which can combat fine lines, wrinkles, loose skin, and acne scarring or enlarged pores. This can also be of great help when it comes to sun damage because increased collagen production has the power to repair and restore your skin. Microneedling also does an amazing job to reverse hyperpigmentation.

Mesotherapy

Mesotherapy is used to inject or infuse anti-aging products directly into the middle layers of the skin (beneath the waterproof, dry outer layer of the epidermis, into the dermis), improving the effectiveness of the product and ensuring faster results with reduced downtime. It can also help reduce lines and wrinkles, improve sun-damaged skin, and works as an ideal glowing treatment – faces look more full, youthful, and hydrated with a healthy glow to the skin. Dr. Rozina Ali likes to recommend mesotherapy in combination with most facial aesthetic treatments since it enhances the effects of other aesthetic treatments and revitalizes and rehydrates the complexion.

Prevention is always better than cure, and given the fact that your skin is exposed to so many risk factors every day, you should include non-surgical treatments in your routine as soon as possible! As a leader in facial regenerative aesthetics and one of the best female aesthetic and plastic surgeons in London, Dr. Rozina Ali can help you get the results you want. If you also want to improve the appearance of your skin, book a consultation to be able to discuss how Dr. Ali can best help you achieve your full aesthetic potential.