:

The Livelong Newsletter: Feature Edition

Good morning,

Sunny days ahead call for good-quality sunscreen. Aside from being one of the best tools to safely enjoy the outdoors, it may be one of the best tools to prevent skin aging, which is primarily driven by sun damage. Are these anti-aging benefits as good as people say? 

In today’s newsletter:

• Why is sunlight aging you?

• Does sunscreen reverse age?

• Is wearing sunscreen even healthy?

• Not all sunscreens are created equal.

Let’s discuss.

SKIN HEALTH

Sunscreen - the truth about reversing aging

It was only a few years ago that people were rubbing their skin with baby oil and spending hours in the sun for the chance at a deep tan and sun-kissed, youthful glow.

That glow comes at a cost, as we have since learned.

When bodies of research started showing a causal link between skin cancer and sun exposure, sunscreen became the most important thing a person could do to protect against it.

Similarly—in the continued quest for anti-aging treatments—the paradigm for sunscreen began to shift. Not only was it found to be cancer protective, but it was considered anti-aging, too.

Today, many give sunscreen a Holy Grail-like status when it comes to anti-aging. However, the extent of its anti-aging abilities may only go so far.

Why is the sun harmful?

Sunlight contains two types of UV rays that cause damage to the skin: UVA and UVB.

UVA rays cause premature aging and skin cancer and UVB rays cause sunburn, according to a paper in The Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin). 90% of skin cancers are caused by UV rays.

Up to 80% of age-related skin changes are caused by UV rays, says Fayne Frey, author and dermatologist, in New York Times.

Years of sun exposure causes physical damage to the top layer of the skin (keratinocytes) and the cells beneath the top layer (melanocytes). Damage to the latter causes permanent hyperpigmentation, according to the Times piece.

How does sunscreen work?

Sunscreen essentially prevents these UV rays from going into the skin, according to the Times. The two most common types of sunscreen are mineral and chemical.

• Mineral sunscreen: Largely composed of zinc oxide and titanium oxide, mineral sunscreen creates a physical sunscreen that sits on top of the skin and reflects UV light away.

• Chemical sunscreen: This contains chemicals (avobenzone, homosalate) that are absorbed into the skin and absorb the UV rays.

Does sunscreen reverse aging?

“Whether or not it reverses skin aging, that’s a little bit tricky to differentiate,” said Dr. Henry Lim, a dermatologist at Henry Ford Health and a former president of the American Academy of Dermatology, to New York Times.

But there is evidence to suggest it does. 

According to results from a small 2016 study published in the journal Dermatologic Surgery, facial broad-spectrum sunscreen can have an age-reversing effect on photodamage on the skin.

• One year of daily sunscreen use improved skin clarity and texture in 100% of participants.

• Approximately half of participants had less pigmentation, which may be caused by those damaged melanocytes beneath the skin’s surface.

Dermatologists had no explanation for these age reversal outcomes, but one theory suggests it has to do with skin turnover. 

“We know that skin turns over every 28 days. By preventing the continual accumulation of more and more damage, we allow the skin to heal on its own,” says dermatologist Steven Wang, featured in an article discussing the study.

The American Academy of Dermatology also says that sunscreen can reverses skin damage, BUT only if it is worn every day.

But authors of a 2023 study (Catalysts) say that traditional sunscreens are “purely preventative” against photodamage and are not effective for treating skin that already has DNA damage caused by the sun.

Sunscreen: Anti-aging by preventing aging

Sunscreen’s superpower is preventing aging, maybe more so than reversing it outright.

• Sunscreen prevents UV damage in the first place, thereby supporting the health of outermost protective barrier of the skin. 

• Wearing sunscreen prevents the breakdown of collagen—this reduces the risk of wrinkles, skin elasticity loss, and visible blood vessels, according to New York Times.

• It may prevent DNA methylation in the epidermis, which is associated with skin aging and other hallmarks of aging.

In a sense, prevention and reversal could be viewed as two sides of the same coin. By preventing skin damage, we are reversing the chance of getting damage at a later point.

THE MORE YOU KNOW

Do you have to wear sunscreen every day?

To get the most anti-aging benefits, dermatologists say ‘yes.’ Even when you cannot see the sun, 80% of UV rays penetrate through clouds on a cloudy day, according to Cleveland Clinic.

It’s even recommended to wear sunscreen indoors, as windows let in sunlight and buildings with fluorescent light expose you to a certain amount of UV light, said dermatologist Melissa Piliang, MD, to Cleveland Clinic.

Are the anti-aging benefits worth it? 

An increasing number of individuals believe that sunscreen is more harmful than beneficial—chemical sunscreen, in particular.

In a recent survey from Orlando Health Cancer Institute, one in seven people under the age of 35 think that sunscreen is worse for the skin than direct sun exposure.

32% of respondents also thought that a tan made them look more healthy.

Famous health podcaster Andrew Huberman says that chemical sunscreens can cause immune and endocrine disruption, and writes that chemical sunscreens may create carcinogens when exposed to sunlight.

Although the FDA has approved certain levels of chemical ingredients for safety and efficacy, octocrylene—a common chemical sun protectant approved by the FDA—may degrade into benzophenone, which is a suspected carcinogen, according to a Forbes article.

It’s best practice to all-together avoid sunscreen that contains benzene (a known carcinogen), oxybenzone, and octinoxate, said Neha Pathak, MD, the chief physician editor of health and wellness medicine at WebMD, in Forbes.

This is why many dermatologists recommend mineral sunscreens.

Key takeaways

• Sunscreen prevents UV damage, which causes 90% of skin cancers and 80% of age-related skin changes.

• Sunscreen prevents skin aging, but there is less evidence that it actively reverses aging.

• Chemical sunscreens may have toxic ingredients, although the FDA monitors the acceptable limit of these ingredients.

• Many experts promote mineral sunscreens, since they create a physical barrier between the skin and sun.

☀️ POLL

Thought this was interesting?

That’s great! Please take a second to share this newsletter with a friend. This way, we can continue to give you fresh, actionable, and evidence-based information that supports your health and well being.

🔔 Catch up on last week’s newsletter

We discussed Sir Paul McCartney’s eye-opening health advice, preventative treatments for Parkinson disease, and much more.

We can’t wait to cover more trending topics in longevity in our next newsletter. Stay tuned.

Erin, Editor-in-Chief of Livelong

Longevity Media LLC

Be your own expert. Optimize your health. Look beyond conventional.

Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health care professional before starting any exercise, wellness, or health program. Nothing in our content, products or services should be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Livelong is a media company and not a medical provid