In the name of youthful skin, the majority of us are willing to go to fairly great lengths.
In fact, the beauty industry is making an absolute mint from selling us creams, serums and masks to keep our complexions smooth, glowing and wrinkle-free.
But did you know you might not have to go through such a rigmarole to ward off – or even reverse – signs of ageing? It's true. According to a
new study published in the journal
Dermatologic Surgery, your usual suncream can actually do both – and more.
In the study, which spanned 12 months, 32 women were asked to apply a broad spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen to their faces every day, in addition to a standard moisturiser without anti-aging ingredients. The researchers then – as well as on day one of the study – inspected the women's skin after 12, 24, 36, and 52 weeks according to
The Coveteur.
The result? Well, unsurprisingly, the daily application of sun cream had ensured that the women's skin had not incurred any sun damage in the year that had passed, but as well as this, their overall complexions had also improved in terms of texture, clarity, and pigmentation.
Oh, and it didn't even stop there, with a reported 18 to 24 percent of the women who took part in the study also claiming they had seen a
significant reduction in fine lines by the end of the year.
Steven Wang, director of dermatology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, was the study's lead author.
"So long as you’re living, you’re always getting sun exposure that triggers this degenerative effect, making our body age faster," Wang explained about his team's work. "But at the same time, our body has this reparative process that theoretically can repair the damage. So, if you can prevent the UV damage, perhaps it allows the body to repair and reverse the signs of ageing."
Now, if that doesn't convince you to wear suncream every day, we don't know what will!
Our current favourite? Bioderma's Photoderm Max 50+ in the new genius pocket size – small enough to fit into your clutch bag or even pocket – meaning you have no excuse for not bringing it out and about with you this summer season!
