Fight Aging. Fight Smart

There are two good reasons why there are so many dermatologists and plastic surgeons in California and Florida. Not only are people there concerned about their appearance, but they have more sun damage than most anywhere else. Tans—once considered healthy and attractive—have turned to weathered, aged skin.

FREE RADICALS THAT DAMAGE CELLS

Of course, anti-aging skin care products are popular all over—but especially in the sunbelt states, where the sun’s UV rays have damaged the skin. And we’re not talking about a few little crow’s feet here. I live in the unofficial sun-damage capital of the world—southern California–which has more than its share of lines, wrinkles, scaling, loss of elasticity, uneven skin tone and hyper-pigmentation. In the sunbelt states, the sun inflicts profound damage and accounts for 90% of the symptoms of premature aging.

Sunscreen is a critical first step—but not just any sunscreen. In fact, one independent environmental group claims that 80% of sunscreens fail to provide adequate protection (more on this in my next blog).

But let’s go beyond sunblocks, and think about the anti-oxidants that are contained in skin care products. Anti-oxidants are not just a buzzword any more. The good, old-fashioned ones, like Vitamins A, C and E are still good. They protect against free radicals and help keep the skin supple and younger-looking. But newer anti-oxidants have evolved that work harder and smarter.

Natural melanin dissipates 99.9% of the free radicals that it comes in contact with (that’s 10X more than Vitamin E). It’s one of nature’s best photo-protectants. The melanin that I use in Oclipse sunscreen is derived from cuttle fish, and lends a soft, natural tint to the sunscreen.

DNA Repair enzymes have great value as well. They work at the cellular level to repair oxidative (free radical) damage as it occurs, and makes the cells stronger and more resistant to future damage. Co-Q-10 protects cells’ DNA by helping to prevent structural and cellular damage caused by pollution, sunlight and cigarette smoke.

And so why do I use so many anti-oxidants? Isn’t one good enough? Not in my opinion. When I fight, I fight hard. I don’t want to just “protect”—I want to repair, prevent and protect.

Start with a product that defends and repairs cellular damage, then top it off with a broad- spectrum UVA/UVB sunblock. Wait 20 minutes before going outside. When you’re in the sun, reapply the sunscreen frequently (there is no such thing as an all-day waterproof sunscreen).

Enjoy the summer; take care of yourself, and your skin.