11 replies to this topic

[JBForrester]

Hey guys, 

Long story short, this past December I had spent 5 minutes in a Level 2 Sunbed (5% UVB/ 95%UVB) because a friend said it helped with her vitamin D production and sleep. Unfortunately, I only covered my face with a jacket, and a month later I saw significant redness and damage to my skin, which had been super pristine and undamaged for years (as a redhead, I had always taken extreme precaution). I am 32 now, and previous to this, many people mistook me for being around 25 years old. Now people think I am in my 30s (which I am, but like many here, I would still like to buy a few years). I guess 5 minutes of a sunbed is equal to 30 minutes of super intense unprotected UV sun damage. 

 

Is there anything I can do to reverse the damage I did?

 

It's summer where I am currently, so I'm hesitant to start using retinol, and I have red hair so I am extra sensitive to it. I use non-nano zinc oxide sunscreen every day, but I see no difference. Going to start take lycopene, vitamina A, astaxanthan, and grapeseed extract. I'm also considering using Neova DNA Total Repair.

 

Anything else you suggest? Topical? Supplements? Treatments? I want to go back to my pre-sunbed face...

 

 

Thanks so much. 

[pamojja]

 

Is there anything I can do to reverse the damage I did?

 

It's summer where I am currently, so I'm hesitant to start using retinol, and I have red hair so I am extra sensitive to it. I use non-nano zinc oxide sunscreen every day, but I see no difference. Going to start take lycopene, vitamina A, astaxanthan, and grapeseed extract.

 

So:me further ideas in this thread: https://www.longecit...ndpost&p=870735

[platypus]

A month later? Perhaps it is unrelated? Also, you said that you covered your face with a jacket and now you want your pre-sunbed face back??

Edited by platypus, 05 April 2019 - 08:05 AM.

[JBForrester]

A month later? Perhaps it is unrelated? Also, you said that you covered your face with a jacket and now you want your pre-sunbed face back??

 

Hey platypus, it is gradual, maybe I exaggerated saying I saw it a month later, but I'm seeing the effects now. My skin is definitely redder and less elastic. I'm a redhead too, so pretty sensitive. But hey, if you don't think it's possible to get the pre-sunbed face back, then that's all I need to hear haha. Just wanted to see if anyone had any experience with reversing damage in some capacity. 

So:me further ideas in this thread: https://www.longecit...ndpost&p=870735

 

Thank you, pamojja! I'll make note of the hacks mentioned in that thread.

[Phoebus]

get yourself some bulk hyaluronic acid powder, mix up some basic HA serum (plenty of DIY HA serum recipes out there) and rub that into any skin on your body. 

 

That is going to do more for you than any expensive supplements by far. 

 

HA is extremely non toxic. Rub some in the am then more in the pm. 

 

Also drink some. Mix some of the powder with hot water,wait a couple hours, drink it down. 

Edited by Phoebus, 05 April 2019 - 05:53 PM.

[Artificiality]

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate 

[JBForrester]

Thanks everyone. I'm pretty sure I did irreversable damage, looking into all of it. Being a redhead, just 5 minutes of a high UVB sunbed aged me about 7 years (at 32 people thought I was 25, no more), when looking at what I looked like previous to that. I was always told that UVA causes more damage than UVB, but it's been shown that UVB actually causes MORE DNA damage upon exposure than UVA due to direct vs. indirect damage.

 

"According to researchers from City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California, UVB light is more harmful to our skin because our bodies are less able to repair the DNA damage it causes than the damage caused by UVA light."

https://www.scienced...80701092141.htm

 

 

Things that have rapidly happened for the worse:

- eye shape is smaller, more wrinkles around eyes, redder, older looking lash line

- dark circles under eyes

- very dry and irritate eyes

- extremely wrinkly hands (equal to a 75 year old)

- extreme fatigue

- receding hair on left side

- thin forhead

 

And to go back to what I was is almost impossible, I think. All we can do is try to halt the going forward through prevention, but I don't think we can go backwards. 

 

However, I am going to start doing the following things to possibly help reverse my rapid aging triggered by this brief but intense exposure:

 

- Exercise everyday for 30 minutes, no exceptions

- Take Nicotinamide Riboside

- High anti-oxidant consumption (NAC, fruits and veggies, vit. C and E.)

- 2 gallon water consumption every day

- DNA repair enzyme cream (sparingly)?

- retinol (though a bit worried to use this in the summer...)

 

Any other thoughts or hacks?

 

Francesca

[Artificiality]

I don't see how 5 minutes of UVB exposure could possibly be the cause. Most likely something else is going on with your health that is the source of your issues. 

[JBForrester]

I don't see how 5 minutes of UVB exposure could possibly be the cause. Most likely something else is going on with your health that is the source of your issues. 

 

I thought the same thing before going in there. I wouldn't have gone if I hadn't known the potential consequences. I have no other explanation that a week later my hands became equivalent to an 80 year old. No exaggeration. My eyes have become almost like those in nursing homes - very red, weak and thin lash line, atrophied. I have been using sunscreen multiple times per day since I was 16, avidly avoiding the sun and so I never have seen what it can really do to me. I now realize I am extremely sensitive to the sun, and 5 minutes of extremely strong UV radiation seems logical to me that a Fitzpatrick I type would be hit hard by a relatively brief stint in a sunbed. I'm in shock and now trying to reverse the damage that I tried to prevent for so many years. 

[JBForrester]

I'm also wondering if the full body radiation exposure of the sunbed was a catalyst towards a rapid aging process. It is just uncanny as to how quickly everything has gone downhill since that one exposure. Previous to the sunbed, Olay Skin Analyst rated my face anywhere between 19-22 at 32 years old biologically. Now it rates it anywhere between 27-30, which is fine, but that's 5-11 year difference. 

It turns out that UVB causes MORE DNA damage than UVA. Previously I thought UVA caused more damage since it penetrated deeper supposedly, and which is something that my aesthetiticans always ingrained in me. 

Anyway, hoping something comes of this positively and can be reversed. Going to get an actual Visia Skin Analysis next Tuesday, so I will post my results... Let's see if my speculation is right. If not, perhaps it is something else (praying that is the case).

[Lena Mill]

So... I can sympathize a lot. In my 20s, I lived in Southern Spain. I had no idea about sunscreen. I used like SPF 15, and inconsistently. I don’t see huge issues, but wonder how my skin would look if I had known better! When I was in college, strangers used to come up to me and comment on my skin! C’est la vie.

It is important to remember that skin is always regenerating. I use hyaluronic acid (there are some great Japanese toners) matrixyl, copper peptides, tetrahexydecyl ascorbate, and a good antioxidant. Barrier repair serum is important; Cerave actually has a good one. Sunscreen is a must... Before sun exposure, I always take grapeseed extract, lutein, vitamin e, glutathione, and c. I want to boost antioxidant defenses. I’ve heard that astaxanthin, lycopene, and some kind of fern extract are also protective, but don’t get any (apart from lots of tomato paste&paprika).

UV exposure has a complex effect on skin. Inflammation cause by ROS prevents the skin from producing new collagen or elasting for a few days. It also causes collagenase and elastase to increase, further breaking down existing collagen. Those could both be temporary. But in your 30s it takes longer to repair that damage. If you have stress, poor sleep, and additional damage you could end up going One step forward, two steps back...... In addition, though, UV exposure can cause DNA damage... This is why I always look for sunscreens or serums that have DNA repair ingredients (I like Sesderma). Another sunscreen I love is Heliocare SPF 90. It doesn’t have DNA repair, but it really soothes inflammation. I put the Sesderma mender mist under the Heliocare sunscreen.

I would avoid peels or retinols.... they might cause further inflammation, which is aging for delicate skin. I ised a konjac sponge and hyaluronic cleansing foam from a japanese brand. It works well, gently exfoliates, and doesn’t inflame my skin.

You might also want to take a look at:
Tanaka Facial Massage
Fasting Mimicking Diet

Sorry for typos! Typing this on my phone!

[Lena Mill]

Forgot to add, melatonin at night (never close to carbs) seems to improve my skin tone. If I had a lot of sun during the day, I take C, E, glutathione, and melatonin. It seems to help with the inflammation.