Summer Sun Damage "clean up."

Redlands Daily Facts Health Section
Staff Writer

Q:I got too much sun this summer and my skin looks dull. What happened?

Mimi:Sun exposure curls up the collagen in the skin. Collagen is the "building blocks" of the skin--The connective tissue that holds everything together. Sun makes it weak, stiff, and brittle instead of strong and supple. There are theories and studies that show that collagen can be repaired through diet and topical applications.

A diet high in essential fatty acids will repair cells and protect from further damage. Essential fatty acids appear in cold water fish like salmon and in flax seed. Crushed flax seed can be added to many dishes or sprinkled on top of salads. Or a tablespoon of crushed flax seed can be swallowed with a water chaser. Flax seed oil can be used in salad dressing. Omega 3 and fish oil capsules are available. Yup, Mom knew what she was doing when she gave you cod liver oil in the winter. It has the fish oil and vitamin D for skin repair.

A diet high in antioxidants will repair and protect your skin. Fresh fruit, veggies, whole grains, nuts and seeds take care of that. Antioxidants "gobble up" free radicals that ravage our bodies. Extra vitamin C is an inexpensive supplement to take. C is C, so don't go for the high priced stuff. Chewable tablets that taste like Smartees are fun, but the acid could damage your teeth.

Several cosmetic companies make supplements targeted for skin health. The ingredients to look for include: Vitamins A, C, E, (as antioxidants), Niacin, B6, Magnesium, Copper and Zinc (for healing). Glucosamine, and Amino Acids: Lysine, Proline, Cysteine, Glycine and Selenium (to encourage healthy collagen production).

Pomegranate supplements repair and deter sun damage. An Essential Fatty Acid supplement can help protect healthy cells from damage as well as protect already damaged cells from future damage by locking moisture in the cells to prevent water loss. Look for CoEnzymeQ10, Flax, and Soy Lecithin along with Amino Acids.

Remember that the very top layer of skin is made up of dead cells. This is called the Scarf or Horny layer. It helps to protect your skin against sun exposure and attacking pollutants. It also protects against active ingredients penetrating the skin in order to benefit the skin.

If you plan to apply active ingredients on the skin and expect them to improve the health and beauty of the skin, then some of the protective layer of dead skin must be removed. CAUTION!! If you do NOT wear sun block EVERY day and a moisturizer at night, do NOT compromise the layer of dead skin. Keep it in place for protection.

If you want to improve the appearance of the skin, then let's get serious. You have vowed to use sun block every day to protect against sun damage. And you have promised to use moisturizer every night to prevent Transdermal Water Loss. Ok, let's attack the dead skin layer. You know the three ways to help remove dead skin: Mechanically with a scrub or microdermabrasion, Enzymically with a chemical or biological enzyme that "eats up" the dead cells, or Chemically with Alpha Hydroxy Acids, Lactic Acids, or a Vitamin A derivative like Renova, Retinal or Retina A. By removing some of the dead skin, fresh, new skin will come to the surface. Removing the dead skin causes cells to turn over faster and to regenerate more quickly. Also, the new skin is more accepting of active ingredients than hard, dead skin is.

The active ingredients to help rebuild sun damaged skin from the outside are copper, zinc, and most importantly VITAMIN C. Vitamin C is an acid that will help lighten discoloration caused by the sun, trauma to the skin (like acne or picking pimples), or hormones (i.e. the Mask of Pregnancy that can be caused by birth control pills.) Adding other products to the program will help lighten skin even faster.

Vitamin C in Facial Cleaners and Toners are refreshing and stimulating. Vitamin C in a Serum used twice daily is the most important part of the program. It is applied to clean, dry skin, and is left on all day and all night. This is followed by a Vitamin C moisturizer with SPF 15 or greater during the day and a Vitamin C night moisturizer. Once a week a potent Vitamin C home treatment will re-vitalize the skin.

Once a month an aggressive Spa treatment will activate the regeneration. The treatment will consist of alternating Microdermabrasion, Vitamin C Infusions, or high percentage AHA applications, which are mild facial peels to refresh the skin. A Jessner Peel can be done up to 3 times a year for most skin. This is a deeper chemical peel with visible peeling. It is uncomfortable and requires 3 to 7 days to go into hiding.

By taking serious and active care of your skin you will find that you can recapture the radiance that you desire.

Mimi Barre is the owner of International Day Spa, 325 Cajon St., Redlands. Send your skin care questions to her at MimiB@INTLdayspa.com. She and her estheticians are available for personal consultations, (909) 793-9080.