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You know that feeling when the sun's out, and everything just feels better? Well, according to health care experts, the mood-boosting effect of sunshine is actually a real thing… when you're exposed to adequate sunlight, it triggers the release of serotonin, the "feel-good" hormone.
Besides making you feel on top of the world, serotonin can help you sleep better, improve your appetite/digestion, and enhance your memory, not bad for a glowing orb, hey?!
If you think that's all there is to sunshine's benefits, you're in for a surprise…
Sunlight is an excellent source of Vitamin D that improves bone health and helps to fight depression.
In a nutshell, sunlight is good for you, but like a lot of things in life - you can have too much of a good thing… too much sun exposure can damage your skin and increase your risk of skin cancer.
So, how do you know how much sun to expose yourself to without burning and turning into a lobster? We got you covered…
Does The Sun Actually Damage Men's Skin?
Unless you've been living under a rock (which ironically is a great way to prevent sun damage!), you’ll know that too much sun exposure can be harmful to your skin health.
But aside from the obvious dangers of skin cancer, there are other risks to sun exposure that you may not know about.
Firstly, UV rays can weaken your body's ability to fight diseases — especially skin infections. In fact, studies have shown that just a few minutes of exposure to UV rays can weaken your immune system for up to 24 hours afterward!
Not only that, but it can cause skin conditions like sunburns, sunspots, melasma, freckles, and actinic cheilitis (lip inflammation). UV rays can also increase your risk of developing melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer.
And to make matters worse, even without developing skin cancer, habitual sun exposure can lead to wrinkles and age spots, making you look older than you really are.
So, next time you're tempted to head outside and bask in the sun, be smart about it and take the necessary precautions to prevent sun damage!
What Does Skin Damage From The Sun Look Like?
Aside from the obvious signs of sun damage like sunburn and tanning (which are both signs of skin damage!), there are other less-visible signs of sun damage that you may not be aware of.
These are the most common symptoms of sun-damaged skin:
Hyperpigmentation or Discoloration
Hyperpigmentation, discoloration, and dark spots are among the most common ways to detect skin damage from the sun.
Prolonged sun exposure increases your melanin production, making you develop an uneven skin tone, brown patches (especially on the face and neck due to increased production of melanocytes in these areas), or black spots.
Sagging Skin, Wrinkles, and Fine Lines
When the sun's UV rays penetrate the skin, they damage its elastic fibers reducing skin elasticity. This leads to sagging and wrinkles over time, as well as a loss of volume in the skin.
Sun damage also causes lines and wrinkles to form more easily as the skin loses its ability to hold water and nutrients (this is due to the sun's impact on collagen production).
Rough and Dry-Textured Skin
You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that too much time in the sun can make you dehydrated. This means that you're losing more water than you're taking in, and that isn't good for your skin health.
Because of this, your skin will dry up and give you rough, cracked, and flaky skin, especially if you're already prone to that dry-skin life.
Increased Oil Production
This may seem unlikely, but it's true (we promise!). While the sun's heat will leave a dry skin type cracked and flaky, it'll make an oily-skinned person produce excess oil.
This happens because as the sun dries up the skin, your skin will intensify sebum production to replace its lost oils. Often, it overcompensates for the lost oil by producing way too much, leading to acne, blackheads, and enlarged pores.
At What Age Does Sun Damage Show In Men?
Sun damage is responsible for a large chunk of your skin's aging - so, if you find that your skin is aging faster than average, it may be the sun doing its work.
Generally, however, most men start noticing other symptoms of sun-damaged skin like wrinkles and hyperpigmentation in their mid-twenties or early thirties.
Another important factor to bear in mind is that sun damage will naturally become more pronounced on your skin as you grow older, so if you're concerned about the signs of sun damage, start taking measures to protect yourself as early as possible!
Will Sun Damaged Skin Repair Itself?
While skin regeneration can reduce the effect of sun damage on the skin, your skin's ability to repair itself decreases as you age. So, even though sun damage on the skin is reversible, you'll have to work to make it happen.
Here's how you can reverse damaged skin from the sun:
Stay Hydrated
Most skin damage from sun exposure is caused by the sun's dehydrating effect. So, drink up, lads… Get plenty of water down you every day to replenish your loss of moisture!
You can also keep your skin hydrated by washing it with quality cleansers and applying natural moisturizers.
VITAMAN’s natural face and body cleanser and face moisturizer for men are the best skin care products for retaining as much moisture as your skin needs during those dehydrating summer days.
Cleansing your skin without drying it up is what our men's face cleanser does best, and our men's face moisturizer hydrates your skin and reduces fine lines - win-win!
Apply Vitamin C and Increase Your Intake of Antioxidants
Your body needs enough nutrients to fight sun damage. So, ensure that you eat a balanced diet in every meal to nourish your skin from the inside. Eat lots of vegetables and fruits, especially those rich in Vitamin C. Vitamin C aids collagen production and can help to restore your skin's elasticity.
Besides eating healthy, you can also use skin care products that nourish your skin from the outside-in, in and give it an extra boost!
VITAMAN’s wrinkle smoother serum for men contains a multitude of Vitamin C and antioxidants to repair sun-damaged skin. It also contains aloe vera extract, which acts as an anti-inflammatory and healing agent!
Featuring ARGIRELINE® - this serum is perfect in your fight against sun damage!
Exfoliate
Regular exfoliation is effective in combating the effects of sun damage on your skin. It helps the skin cell regeneration process by removing damaged skin cells to allow new ones to emerge.
Our natural men’s face scrub and sea salt body scrub are the best exfoliants for any sun-damaged skin. The rugged-but-gentle formulas will unclog your pores to remove dirt and oil, leaving your skin healthy and revitalized.
Use Sun Protection
Don't be fooled by thinking that you don't need sunscreen if you are already dealing with sun-damaged skin… Sun protection is essential to prevent further skin damage and aging caused by the sun's ultraviolet rays.
Apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 every day when you are outside for over 30 minutes, even if you're not sunbathing. Remember to reapply sunscreen every two hours if you are exercising or sweating.
Don’t forget to follow our 10 Men's Skin Care Tips For The Summer to keep your skin looking its best all summer long!
Prevent Sun-Damaged Skin With Quality Skincare Products From VITAMAN!
The best way to protect your skin from sun damage is to prevent it in the first place.
But if you're already dealing with sun-damaged skin, don't worry. Quality, all-natural skincare products from VITAMAN can help you prevent further skin damage and aging.
Whether you want to prevent or repair skin damage from the sun, our products will help you achieve the healthiest skin possible - or your money back!
So try VITAMAN's natural skin care products today and see the difference for yourself!
