When our skin comes into close contact with the environment, it ages more quickly than the rest of our body does simply due to the passage of time. UV radiation from the sun is the single most damaging environmental component to our skin’s health. The term “photoaging” describes the process by which UV light causes aging. Photoaging, in contrast to the inevitable aging that comes with time, occurs when skin is repeatedly exposed to UV light.
Over time, exposure to the sun’s UV rays breaks down elastin, leading to the aging effects known as photoaging. As a result, our skin becomes lax, stretches, and is more susceptible to bruising and skin tears. Premature wrinkling, leathery skin, age spots, and spider veins on the nose, cheeks, and neck are all signs of photoaging. Photoaging is a leading cause of skin cancer worldwide.
Because of the serious consequences of UV radiation overexposure to the skin, researchers have made great strides in recent years in understanding the cellular and molecular pathways that lead to photoaging. Insilico Medicine researchers are contrasting the effects of anti-aging treatments on the cellular communication of photoaged skin with that of normal, chronologically aged skin. Finding effective methods to delay or reverse the effects of aging is central to photoaging studies.
As long as they have the right training, medical aestheticians and cosmetic laser technicians can offer anti-aging therapies to their clientele. Because of the lucrative cosmetic laser industry, many aestheticians opt to receive training in this field. While the typical cost of a photofacial is around $70, repairing UV damage typically runs closer to $300.