The visible effects of ageing, especially those caused by the sun’s ultraviolet rays, can take a toll not just on appearance, such as fine lines and wrinkles, but also on causing age spots and damaging the DNA within skin cells.

Whilst sunscreens, sunglasses and hats are essential tools to fight photoaging, some parts of the body will remain vulnerable to photoaging. Even a few minutes of sun exposure daily may result in photoaging.

What is photoaging?

Unlike intrinsic aging, which is governed by genetics and time, photoaging is responsible largely for changes in skin, including wrinkles and uneven skin tone and texture. UV rays trigger the production of free radicals in skin which are responsible for inflammation, collagen breakdown, and DNA damage. (1,2,3)

Most people rely entirely on topical sunscreens, but scientists have found that their protection is limited by factors such as incomplete coverage, exposure to water or sea, and not applying enough sunscreen. (4)

Problem with sunscreens

Studies indicate that most people apply sunscreens incorrectly or use far less, often 25% to 50% less, than the amount used for SPF testing meaning that the protection offered is up to 50% less than what is stated on the bottle. (5)

Additionally, it is difficult to provide a uniform coverage all over the body often leaving the eyes, lips, and scalp open to damage from the sun.

It is also hard to find sunscreens that offer protection from both UVA and UVB rays in equal amounts. An SPF number tells us how well the sunscreen will protect your skin from UVB radiation which is responsible for sunburn. UVA rays make up 95% of the UV radiation that reaches Earth all day, every day, whether it’s sunny, cloudy, or rainy.

Whilst UVB rays mostly affect the top layers of skin causing sunburns and redness, UVA rays penetrate deeper causing damage that is not noticeable immediately, but with time can result in wrinkles by breaking down collagen and weakening skin’s structure, uneven skin tone, age spots, and crucially affect the genetic material in cells.

So how can we protect our skin from UVA damage?

PPD stands for Persistent Pigment Darkening and is a test carried out on sun-protected skin to see how much longer it takes for it to darken from UVA rays compared to bare skin. It is one of the main ways that scientists use to measure how well a sunscreen blocks UVA rays.

PPD ratings are as follows:

• PPD 2-4 – low level of UVA protection
  
• PPD 4-8 – moderate level of UVA protection
  
• PPD 8-16 – high level of UVA protection
  
• PPD 16+ - very high level of UVA protection

Whilst many sunscreens do not list PPD levels, they are worth investigating. Ideally you want an SPF with a high PPD number. Altruist sunscreens are designed by skin cancer specialist, Dr Andrew Birnie, and all sun creams and sprays provide high PPD values offering 5-star UVA protection.

The bottom line is that UVA rays are responsible for premature ageing as well as skin damage, and without proper protection, your skin could be vulnerable to this damage even on cloudy days. (6)

A daily supplement to block photoaging

Sunscreens work basically in one way; their mechanism is to work at the skin’s surface to block the sun’s radiation from penetrating deeper into the tissues causing photoaging. As mentioned earlier, the use of sunscreens is nevertheless a limiting factor.

Whilst most people assume that protection against UV radiation must come from topical application, scientists have found that an oral tropical fern extract, Polypodium leucotomos extract (PLE), works deep inside skin, when taken orally, to protect skin against UV radiation which may help prevent photoaging.

PLE is rich in polyphenols and when ingested, it has demonstrated the ability to reduce UV-induced erythema resulting in sunburn, protecting DNA material in cells, and preserving Langerhans cells which are the key immune defenders in skin. (7)

In a double-blind study published in Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, oral PLE increased the minimal erythema dose (the threshold of UV-induced redness) in human volunteers suggesting enhanced skin resistance to UVB radiation, which causes sunburn. (8)

Scientists also identified a specific extract from three red orange varieties, called Red Orange Complex®, which is rich in polyphenols, anthocyanidins, and other antioxidants. (9)

Whilst there are numerous favourable studies involving the use of oral Red Orange Complex® in a supplement, I thought I would highlight one study. Involving 18 volunteers, scientists measured the effects of Red Orange Complex® in a supplement on UVB-induced damage. After 15 days, the intensity of the induced redness due to UVB exposure decreased by almost 35% demonstrating that Red Orange Complex® provides significant sun protection for skin. (10)

Both Polypodium leucotomos extract and Red Orange Complex® are available in an oral supplement Life Extension Shade Factor.

Summary

To block photoaging, which amongst many things causes the wrinkling of skin when exposed to ultraviolet rays, sunscreens should be carefully selected, applied in appropriate amounts, reapplied at correct intervals, and used alongside other protective measures such as shade, dark glasses, and clothing.

Alongside the above measures, I believe that it is vital to take an oral sun protection formula such as Life Extension Shade Factor which can be taken every day to protect skin from daily ultraviolet radiation. Most people are unaware that daily exposure to solar rays causes cumulative DNA damage and accelerates skin ageing.

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2. Knaggs H. A new source of aging? J Cosmet Dermatol. 2009 Jun;8(2):77-82
3. Chen L, Hu JY, Wang SQ. The role of antioxidants in photoprotection: a critical review. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2012;67:1013-24.
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5. Wang SQ, Dusza SW. Assessment of sunscreen knowledge: a pilot survey. Br J Dermatol. 2009;161(Suppl 3):28-32.
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7. Middelkamp-Hup, M. A., et al. (2004). Oral Polypodium leucotomos extract decreases ultraviolet-induced damage of human skin. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 51(6), 910–918.
8. González, S., et al. (2006). Polypodium leucotomos extract: a nutraceutical with photoprotective properties. Photochemistry and Photobiology, 82(2), 539–543.
9. Bonina FP, Saija A, Tomaino A, Lo Cascio R, Rapisarda P, Dederen JC, In vitro antioxidant activity and in vivo photoprotective effect of red orange extract. Int J Cosmet Sci. 1998;20:331-42
10. Bonina FP. Effect of the supplementation with Red Orange Complex® on ultraviolet-induced skin damage in human volunteers. Bionap Report . Santa Venerina, CT, Italy, 2008.