BOOSTING YOUR SPRING SKINCARE
By ZO® Skin Health
As spring approaches, with warmer temperatures and sunnier days that will have you itching to spend more time outdoors, it’s important to give your skin the protection it requires to continue thriving and functioning as it should. So, how can you give your skincare a boost to protect your skin further this spring?
UV PROTECTION
An important step in any skincare routine is sunscreen. This should not come as a surprise, as constant exposure to the sun can disturb skin function and cause life-long damage. The sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays are the #1 cause of all skin cancers. As we age, chronic sun exposure can manifest itself as wrinkles, dullness, discoloration and roughness. Often, patients will experience severe textural damage, resulting in skin with deep wrinkling and a thick, leathery feel called solar elastosis, a disorder in which there is an abnormal accumulation of elastin.
Take the time to apply a daily sunscreen of, at least, SPF 30 to ensure your skin is protected against harmful sun exposure. Re-application of sunscreen is key—especially if you're swimming or sweating--to making sure your skin is protected all day long. This is often a step that patients skip, since re-application can be difficult with a full face of makeup, or when you're busy on-the-go. ZO's Sunscreen + Powder SPF 40 makes this step so much easier with 3 universal, tinted shades and ultra-soft bristles that deliver a seamless application of UV protection.
ANTIOXIDANT PROTECTION
Have you ever seen a sliced apple turned brown? If you have, you have witnessed oxidative stress, a process caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can trigger a chain reaction, damaging healthy cells. The damage caused by these molecules can appear on the skin in the form of wrinkles, age spots, dullness and even skin sagging. We're exposed to free radicals every day, through UV rays, pollution and even cigarette smoke. The only way to combat the damage they create is through the use of antioxidants.
Antioxidants scavenge free radicals to help prevent oxidative stress from happening to the skin. By blocking free radical damage, antioxidants also help prevent the visible signs of aging. Antioxidants are getting easier to find in skincare—opt for products with vitamin C, E or A, niacinamide or polyphenols, which are found in green or black tea.
At ZO® Skin Health, Daily Power Defense, a powerful antioxidant serum, is a favorite among patients and physicians alike. Include it in your spring skincare routine and apply it daily to protect your skin from free radical damage and support your skin’s overall skin health.