How Malaysian Heatwave Can Damage Your Skin & What You Can Do About It

HAVE YOU HEARD THE NEWS RECENTLY?

The Malaysian Meteorological Department has issued warnings on scorching temperatures in the country. As Malaysia experiences the hot season from June to August where the sun rays and temperatures are at its highest with less rainfall in these months, the important question we should ask ourselves (other than the famous one: “Will there be another water-cut happening soon?” is – “How can I protect my skin from sun damage?”.

That’s tricky, but not difficult. 

In this article, we will delve deeper into the topic of photoaging and how it can damage our facial skin. Fortunately, there are effective preventive measures you can do to reverse sun-damaged skin so that your face can stay hydrated, smooth and firm all year round.   

WHAT IS YOUR WORST ENEMY IN SKIN AGING?

Many external factors exacerbate skin aging, such as cigarettes and alcohol consumption, poor sleep, or an unhealthy lifestyle. However, in terms of skin aging, sun exposure is your worst enemy. 

Why is that? Sun exposure triggers skin photoaging, which damages your skin cells. It significantly accelerates the skin aging process to a great extent. It is believed that 90% of the signs of skin aging are due to sun exposure. 

So never forget this: there is no better way to prevent skin aging than protecting your skin from UVR.

While UVB radiation can cause sunburn and skin cancer, UVA rays are the ones that penetrate the deepest into human skin. So they are the main factor responsible for skin photoaging.

SIGNS OF SUN-DAMAGED (PHOTOAGING) SKIN

• Dehydrated and dry skin
• Loss of skin tone (loss of elasticity) in sun-exposed areas
• Lines and wrinkles around your eyes and mouth 
• Pigment changes, such as colored spots or patches (melasma), freckles and age spots 
• Uneven skin color or uneven skin texture
• Thinning of your skin.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT YOUR SKIN FROM THE DAMAGING EFFECTS OF THE SUN

1. Cover Up

One of the best things you can do is cover-up. The sun’s rays are most intense between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Stay indoors during this time, or whether you are indoors or you must be outdoors, cover up and wear sunscreen. 

2. Spread on Sunscreen

It is recommended to wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Be sure to spread it on thick enough: Applying only a thin coating of a sunscreen can reduce the product’s effectiveness by as much as 50 percent.  So, bring a sunblock in your handbag and remember to apply it 30 min before sun exposure and reapply every two hours or after swimming if you are on the beach!

3. Don’t Let the Weather Fool You

Take care on cool, cloudy days. Damaging rays aren’t inhibited by clouds, and you can still get burned because ultraviolet rays can penetrate cloud cover. Take precautions even when the sun isn’t shining brightly.

4. Take Vitamin C and other antioxidants

These substances slow skin damage due to rogue chemicals, called free radicals, which cause visible signs of damage. Antioxidants can slow skin aging, lessen UV radiation damage and decrease the breakdown of collagen.

CAN SUN DAMAGE BE REVERSED?

Once UV radiation changes your skin cell’s DNA, the DNA damage can’t be reversed. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t change the appearance of your skin. You can treat, reduce and/or repair the effects of sun-damaged skin. 

While avoiding sun exposure as much as you can and wearing sunblock every time you go out, combining these two with aesthetic treatments that contain skin-loving ingredients such as hyaluronic acid can provide hydration for the skin, remove spots and other skin discolorations, reduce wrinkles and fine lines and smooth out skin – steps that improve the look, tone and quality of your skin.

THE ONLY DERMAL FILLER THAT PROVIDES EARLY INTERVENTION OF SUN DAMAGED SKIN 

At Premier Clinic, we know that preventing sun damage is extremely crucial under Malaysia’s scorching sun, and so we are delighted to offer BELOTERO® REVIVE, THE ONLY dermal filler product in the market so far that contains a unique combination of both Hyaluronic Acid (HA) and Glycerol, a useful early and effective intervention treatment for early signs of sun damage.

While HA can help increase the moisture content in your skin to promote a healthier, more supple skin, reduce redness and roughness, Glycerol is a powerful hydrating agent. The combination creates a lasting hydrating and moisturising effect on the skin. 

WHETHER YOU’RE A BEACH LOVER, YOU’RE ON THE ROAD MOST THE TIMES (WHAT’S NOT IN KL TRAFFIC!) OR YOU’RE STAYING INDOORS OFTEN …. 

HERE’S YOUR CHANCE TO SHOW OFF THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF, WITHOUT A FILTER!

Premier Clinic is the first aesthetics clinic in Malaysia to offer you this wonderful filler to reverse sun damaged skin. It’s especially useful to improve skin hydration, reduce redness and roughness and minimise the appearance of fine lines, especially when you have to go under the sun during this extreme hot weather season in Malaysia.

Contact Premier Clinic today at +6012-662-5552 (Eng/Malay speaking) / +6012-773-2074 (Chinese speaking) if you wish to learn more about the full Belotero range available at our branches.

REFERENCE

• https://www.merz.com/blog/news/merz-launches-new-belotero-revive-dermal-filler/
• https://www.innoaesthetics.com/photoaging-why-and-how-sun-exposure-accelerates-the-skin-aging-process/