Skin Damage Archives - Reskin Clinic

Skin Cancer Awareness Month

The month of May is Skin Cancer and Melanoma Awareness Month, and as you can imagine this is always on our radar here at re/skin. Not only do we harp on about the effects of sun in regard to skin functioning and ageing but there is, as I am sure you are already aware a more serious risk to the skin from sun exposure.

85% of melanoma cases are caused by UV exposure.

If you have had a blistering sunburn or just five regular sunburns your risk more than doubles.

Our skin is a regenerating organ which means our skin cells continually reproduce, grow and divide, then shed to become house dust!

Sometimes our cell’s DNA become damaged, this is called a mutation. Because our cells reproduce by mitosis, where replica cells are formed, these mutations are passed onto the new cells that follow. This causes the mutations to spread and proliferate and can eventually lead to skin cancers.

UV rays are responsible for many of the mutations to skin cell DNA, so a good sun protection regime is vital to prevent this. Its important to protect your skin every single day throughout your life, and to avoid over exposure such as laying in the midday sun whilst on holiday or using sunbeds. In fact using a sunbed is 3 times more dangerous than sitting in the natural sun.

When using sun protection it Is important to look for a broad spectrum protection, meaning it filters both UVA and UVB rays. Some sunscreens will just contain UVB filters.

These days many sunscreens will also protect against blue light, this light is also detrimental to the skin and not just emitted by our devices, it comes from the sun too!

Here at re/skin clinic in Sheffield we know how hard it can be to find a sunscreen that you love, and yes, you need to love it or there will be days you just wont apply. That’s why we have over 20 options on our shelves! Do you need helping finding the perfect one??

Drop us an email and we can help you.

What Is Blue Light and How Can It Affect Your Skin?

Blue light is part of the visible light spectrum, meaning you can see it. It has a short wavelength, which means it has lots of energy and can create oxidative stress.

IN THIS HIGH-TECH WORLD WE NOW LIVE IN, THE SUBJECT OF BLUE LIGHT IS TALKED ABOUT MORE AND MORE. BUT DID YOU KNOW THAT OUR DEVICES ARE NOT THE ONLY SOURCE OF BLUE LIGHT? WE ALSO GET IT FROM THE SUN. IN FACT, UP TO 30% of the rays from the sun are actually blue light.

So team this with sitting at your laptop or scrolling your phone for hours, and we would get a pretty continuous dose of blue light all day long.

The Effects Of Blue Light

Although it is visible to the human eye, it can have negative effects on our overall health and well-being.

The effects of accumulative blue light on the skin can cause:

free radicals
inflammation
skin cell damage
damage to the important lipid bilayer that gives our skin its strong barrier
increased redness
pigmentation
dryness
loss of elasticity and collagen
increase in inflammatory conditions
premature ageing

What Can We Do To Prevent This?

So what do we need to do to protect our precious skin cells from this damaging light?

First and foremost, a sunscreen, but opt for one with a blue light filter too. This is sometimes referred to as an HEV filter, and many of the innovative sun care brands will include this now.

We need antioxidants and lots of them. So, look at including them in your diet as well as skincare so we are feeding them in from all angles.

And be conscious of the time spent in front of your screens. If it’s unnecessary, put them down, slap on the sunscreen, and go for a walk.

We have also had a recent new product launch at re skin in Sheffield. This is a brand new supplement from the Advanced nutrition program and has been designed to not only protect from the effects of blue light but also repair the damage caused.

Contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, helps to inhibit pigmentation and also reduces the breakdown of collagen.

The research results showed that this new supplement gave a 60% increase in protection from this light. As well as a; 19% decrease in redness, a 17% improvement in hydration and a 15% increase in skin smoothness. This was just by taking 1 of these tablets per day for 8 weeks.

Conclusion

If you are concerned with any of the skin conditions mentioned or spend a lot of time outside or in front of a device, this is definitely a must to introduce to your skin regime.

Get in touch with us today if you have any more questions on skin care, or take a look at our products and start your journey to perfect skin.

Have you experienced winter skin?

I appreciate winter has passed, and everyone is looking towards the summer sun, particularly as Easter and the recent bank holiday has been so warm, but in this blog we really wanted to take a step back and discuss your winter skin. For some winter is a daunting time, and we think now would be a good time to discuss some of the issues many people experience over winter so those who do can prepare.

One of the biggest issues to our skin is the heating that we’re all quick to crank up when feeling cold. Now we’re not saying don’t, as heating is important to our wellbeing and survival, but realise that you may start to experience dryness, or your skin may be feeling a little more sensitive than normal. This is because the central heating makes the atmosphere super dry, and we get a higher level of trans epidermal water loss than normal. Team this with walking out of our front door into the cold temperatures plays absolute havoc with our skin and barrier.

As it’s unrealistic to tell you to turn off the heating during those cold winter months, we advise trying to keep it a low as possible, which will help. If you are like us and like to feel quite Mediterranean, investing in a humidifier for the room you’re in, which is great for helping with hydration levels within the skin.

Also look for products containing those barrier lipids to reinforce the protective barrier reducing the risk of trans epidermal water loss. So, look for ceramides, cholesterol, and omegas. The Byonik Seal product is amazing for this, full of ceramides it helps to lock in that hydration, and is suitable to reapply throughout the day, even over makeup!

If you skin is feeling more dry than normal it might also be worth dropping back on the actives such as retinol, vitamin C and AHA’s. These are what we call the spicy actives that can be very stimulating and skin that is experiencing dryness may not be as tolerant to these.

As always this is general advice and it’s always advised to get recommendations tailored to your skin, but these steps should help if you have experienced ‘winter skin’ and want to avoid it this Christmas.

At Re-Skin Clinic, we’re always here to support you on your skin journey. It’s never too early to ask questions and get prepared, and your skin care consultant will be there to get you on the right path.

Please reach out to us anything for support, guidance or to book a consultation.

Skin Cancer Awareness Month

This month is Skin Cancer Awareness month and as much as we may wear our sunscreen to prevent our skin ageing there is an even more important reason to slap it on every day, UV radiation from either the sun or sunbeds is the main cause of skin cancers, and it is the 5th most common cancer in the UK.

With 86% of melanoma skin cancer cases in the UK being preventable and the fact that this type of cancer is detectable with our own eyes should this really be the 5th most common cancer in the UK?

Skin cancer can occur when the skin cells DNA is damaged beyond repair, usually by UV exposure, this triggers mutations that leads to an out of control growth of these abnormal cells. The main types of skin cancer are Merkel cell carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma, and Melanoma.

The two main causes are Ultraviolet rays from either the sun or sunbeds, however there are other factors that can make us more susceptible to this type of cancer.

Sun Exposure

Too much sun exposure increases our chances of skin cancer, especially sunburn. In fact, having a blistering sunburn as a child can increase the risk of melanoma in adulthood by double!

All skins should take care in the sun, even darker skin types. If the following applies to you extra care should be taken:

Pale, white, light brown skin
Have freckles, red hair, or fair hair
Tendency to burn
Have many moles
Have a family history of skin cancer
Live in a hot country

This is not an exhaustive list, and every single person should take precautions to protect their skin daily.

Sunbeds

Not only accelerating skin ageing tenfold, sunbeds are artificial UV rays that directly damage your skin cells DNA. The earlier in your life you use sunbeds the greater the risk, and evidence shows people exposed to sunbeds before 25 are at a greater risk of developing skin cancer.

Age

Melanoma risk increases with age, in fact half of people diagnosed with skin cancer in the UK are age 65 and over. But please don’t have the attitude if you are under this that it may not develop as it is still the second most common cancer in adults under 50.

Skin Type

It may be obvious, but the group of people more at risk are people with fair skin, fair or red hair and those with freckles. These skin types burn very easily and therefore their skin’s DNA is easily damaged. However, if you are a darker skin type don’t be under any illusions that you don’t need to be cautious. Yes, darker skins are lower risk but that doesn’t mean that they won’t get it…look at Bob Marley.

Moles

People with lots of moles or moles that are large (5mm+ diameter) are also higher risk. It’s important to keep a close eye on these moles and if any changes are noticed to get them checked immediately.

Family history

There is a small number of melanomas that are caused by inherited genes. If someone in your close family has a history of melanoma, then your risk of developing it can be increased.

Reduced Immunity

A weakened immune system can increase your risk of developing melanoma. HIV, AIDS, or medication that suppresses the immune system can make you a higher risk as the skins immunity system may struggle to repair or fight the damaging forces.

As I said at the beginning of the blog, most skin cancers are preventable and early detection is the key. So protect your skin daily with a good broad spectrum sunscreen, do not use sunbeds, avoid sunburn, and check your moles or any other skin lesions that may appear.

If you need help with your sun protection or keeping your skin in the best of health get in touch for a skin health consultation.