Meg’s Pondering Sun Protection…I hear a lot about using vitamin C and antioxidants in addition to a high PPD sunscreen to prevent sun damage and aging. Is there truth to this, or is this just something the cosmetics companies invented?
The Right Brain’s reply:
Actually, there is some solid research that indicates antixoidant vitamins can improve sunscreen SPF.
Vitamin boost
We’ve known for a long time that sun protection is one of the best things you can do for your skin. But in the last several years, researchers at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center have also demonstrated that
vitamin C combined with UVB sunscreen can give additive protection against sunburn. Their study suggests that a vitamin C and E combination is optimal. Does this mean you should run out and look for sunscreens that have vitamins on the label? Not really – the vitamins have to be present in the right concentations and must be properly stabilized before they have a beneficial effect. But if we see any super-vitamin sunscreens we’ll be sure to blog about them!
By the way, kudos to Meg for using the term PPD (Persistent Pigment Darkening), which is one of the proposed methods for measuring sun exposure in humans.
What do YOU think? Do you use sunscreen as often as you should? Do you have a favorite brand? Leave a comment and share your sun tips with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.
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Beauty Brains, can you clarify one thing?
After having quite a few rounds of laser surgery last year to remove hyperpigmentation on my face, neck, and arms, I’ve been determined to do everything I could to keep the ugly freckling away. As a result, I have been applying Skinceuticals C E Feurlic (contains vitamins C & E) daily for a year now in addition to my religious use of a sunscreen. I put the C & E serum on at night and the sunscreen on in the morning. Now I’m concerned that this is not the correct application for both to work together. Should I be applying both in the morning instead?
I couldn\’t agree with you more.