Dr. Rozina Ali, multi-award winning female aesthetic surgeon who always delivers effective and safe surgical outcomes, practicing in central London, outlines the compelling reasons why wearing sunscreen in the winter is just as crucial as in the summertime and her tips to avoid sun damaged skin.

As the days grow shorter, temperatures drop and winter draws ever closer, you may be tempted to pack away your sunscreen along with your summer wardrobe. It is natural to think that sun protection should only be a factor (no pun intended) for long hot days on the beach and those balmy summer months, when in actual fact it should be an essential part of your skincare routine all year round.

When my patients come to see me they often ask what the best advice I could give them to maintain a youthful appearance. The ravages of ageing are at least 80-85% due to sun exposure. The other factors:- gravity, atrophy, inflammation are less easy to avoid. The most effective, long-term anti-aging strategy is therefore prevention and that means protection from sun damage. Simply put, as a highly qualified expert specialising in surgical and non-surgical facial aesthetics, regardless of the season, even though often working in windowless basement theatres, I never leave the house without first applying sunscreen. It should be the fundamental last step in every skincare routine

When trying to protect oneself from anything you need to understand your enemy.

The two main types of ultraviolet (UV) rays that visibly damage skin are; UVB and UVA. UVB rays are those that penetrate the epidermis and cause sunburn. UVA rays on the other hand, can’t be seen or felt, but these penetrate deeper into the dermis; causing damage to your structural collagen. It’s this cellular and DNA damage that prematurely ages your skin and is known as photoaging; the hallmarks of which are pigmentary changes (freckles, age spots), broken capillaries, wrinkling, creases, loss of skin tone and uneven or rough skin texture. It can also lead to skin cancers.

Just because the sun may be less present and feel weaker in winter months, both UVA and UVB rays are still present and just as strong all year round. They can even penetrate cloud cover, so those grey winter days may lull you into a false sense of security. In fact, your skin may even become more sensitive to UV damage in winter due to the colder drier air dehydrating your skin. Sunscreen not only protects against UV rays but also helps lock in moisture, preventing your skin from drying out and cracking.

Aging is unavoidable and completely natural. Ageing badly is avoidable and not healthy. It’s those dreaded UV rays that contribute to sun damaged skin and 80-85% of the visible skin changes associated with aging. The good news is effective protection from UV radiation is the simplest way to prevent it. Think sunscreen, think sunglasses, think a big hat - big enough to protect all of your face and ears - and you will be going a long way to reduce the long-term effects of sun exposure on your skin.

If I was only allowed one skincare product to use for the rest of my life, it would undoubtedly be sunscreen. I recommend broad-spectrum sunscreens with SPF values of 30+. Products from the Mesoestetic, NeoStrata, Obagi, and Skinbetter Science ranges can help to give the skin a better appearance, regular skin function, hydration, and more.

Alongside prevention there are effective non-surgical treatments that I can help you with to limit the damage caused by these harmful factors. Non-Surgical Rejuvenation (NSR) treatments are subtle, elegant and suitable for anyone who cares about looking their best. They have very little downtime and can enhance the effects of surgical procedures and skincare when used in combination. These include:

- Mesotherapy - where anti-aging products are injected or infused directly into the middle layers of the skin, thus improving the effectiveness of the product. This works as an ideal glow treatment making faces look more full, youthful and hydrated by reducing lines and wrinkles and improving sun-damaged skin

- Microneedling – a non-surgical and minimally invasive treatment, where an electrically powered medical device is used to stimulate skin cells deep in the dermis so that they regenerate and repair the overlying skin, resulting in smoother, brighter, younger and healthier looking skin.

- Phototherapy/laser therapy to polish and smooth skin, even out skin tone and lift hormonal and inflammatory pigmentation

If you are concerned about the impact of the sun on your skin or would like to discuss how to achieve and maintain your full aesthetic potential, book a consultation today.