Here are 5 good skin care and healthy lifestyle tips to keep your skin looking healthy and to prevent premature skin aging from the damaging rays of the sun.

1) Protect yourself from the sun throughout the year. The sun can cause premature aging of your skin over your lifetime. Skin discolorations, freckles, age spots, lines and wrinkles, irregular skin texture and skin cancer are all caused by the sun. When the ultraviolet rays of the sun penetrate deeply into your skin they damage collagen and elastin. They also cause your skin to wrinkle, droop, and sag on your face and your body.

2) Use a good quality, broad spectrum sunblock with an SPF of at least 30 that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Products containing micronized titanium dioxide or zinc oxide are excellent choices. Get into the daily habit of applying sunblock to your face, neck, hands, and other exposed areas before applying your makeup. Because sun damage commonly occurs while driving, apply your sunblock EVERY day, even when it’s cloudy and even when you do not plan to be exposed to the sun.

3) Try to stay in the shade between the hours of 10 AM and 2 PM, when the sun’s rays are the strongest. Wear a wide brimmed hat or visor and sun glasses when you are in the sun and consider other protective clothing. Reapply your sunblock every two hours or more often if perspiring or swimming. Remember that water, snow, and sand all reflect the sun and can increase your chance of sunburn.

4) Get your “tan” from creams or sprays, not from the sun or tanning beds. A sun tan is your damaged skin’s attempt to protect itself from the sun’s damaging radiation. It is hard to distinguish between a spray tan and a sun tan when the tanning spray is applied properly using today’s modern spray tanning equipment. Good home spray tanning units are now available and offer the ability to keep that beautiful tan year round without the risk of damaging your skin.

5) When you protect your skin from the sun, your skin will be ready to start the healing process, and you can begin treatments to reverse the premature skin aging on your face, neck, décolleté and hands. Remember to continue to schedule periodic maintenance treatments for your skin throughout the year, just like you do for your hair and nails. The “Forever Young” treatment has been proven to reverse sun damage, and maintain younger looking skin by turning off “old” skin genes and turning on “young” skin genes to give you healthy, younger looking skin. In addition to “Forever Young”, other effective treatments and products are now available to improve and maintain your skin so you can keep looking good at every age.

Enjoy the warm weather!

Forever Young BBL

Stanford University Study: Broad-Band Light Treatment Promotes Youthful Skin on a Molecular Level

Gene expression of aged skin more closely resembles young skin with the use of Sciton Broad-Band Light treatment

PALO ALTO, Calif. — (November 12, 2012) – A new study recently published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology shows that Sciton BroadBand Light (BBL™) treatments can change the expression of genes associated with the aging process to more closely resemble young skin. The study supports the hypothesis that regulators of aging can be altered in human skin using BBL technology to provide a functional change, rather than just a cosmetic mimic of youthful appearance. BBL treatments promote the appearance of youthful skin. This study reveals that the appearance of younger skin may be due to the differences observed in gene expression patterns of aged skin becoming more like young skin. Treatments from the study were performed on the FDA-cleared Sciton Joule using the BBL module.*

Led by dermatologist Dr. Anne Lynn S. Chang of the Stanford University School of Medicine, the study (“Rejuvenation of Gene Expression Pattern of Aged Human Skin by BroadBand Light Treatment”) reveals the molecular changes that are induced by BBL, a popular treatment made by Sciton for improving the appearance of acne, sun spots, freckles and vascular conditions. BBL treatments are requested by patients for promoting a more youthful and rejuvenated appearance. Previous studies have shown that animal models can exhibit gene expression changes to become more youthful. Dr. Chang’s study is the first to show a similar correlation in human skin treated with BBL.

“As an industry, to find a clinically sound solution for human anti-aging is critical,” said Dr. Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas, board certified dermatologist, attending physician at Lenox Hill Hospital and Yale/New Haven VA Hospital, and Assistant Clinical Professor at Yale University School of Medicine. “As a practicing physician in the field of dermatology, it is exciting to know there is a safe, light based treatment with groundbreaking clinical evidence supporting anti-aging and the reversal of skin damage available to our patients.”

An additional study, submitted for publication by Dr. Patrick H. Bitter, Jr. of Advanced Aesthetic Dermatology, a well-known dermatologist and co-author of the JID study, takes this groundbreaking research further and explores the practical application and patient results of BBL treatments. Dr. Bitter’s study focuses on the ability to improve the appearance of aging skin with long-term and regular interval treatments with BBL.*BBL is not FDA cleared for changing gene expression or anti-aging.

“The JID study is an important first step to prove that BBL treatments are a viable option for anti-aging,” said Dr. Bitter. “In my upcoming study, we provide clinical evidence on patients who have had BBL and have enjoyed younger looking skin over the long-term. I look forward to sharing these demonstrated results with my colleagues and patients worldwide in the near future.”

“As the developer of the BBL technology, Sciton remains committed to investments not only in the equipment but in the science required to inform the development of meaningful applications for it. The BBL has an unsurpassed reputation for delivering clinically important results,” said Sciton co-founder and President, Dan Negus, Ph.D. “These basic science and clinical biomedical studies demonstrate another important validation for the dermatologic community of the sound scientific basis of the BBL technology and the results it produces.”

The study’s additional authors are Dr. Howard Y. Chang and Nicole A. Rapicavoli, both of Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Stanford University, and Dr. Kun Qu and Dr. Meihong Lin, both of Stanford University.

For more information about Forever Young BBL at Reflections click here: Forever Young

About Sciton: Sciton is committed to providing best-in-class laser and light source solutions for medical professionals who want exceptional durability, performance and value. Sciton offers superior medical devices for fractional and full-coverage skin resurfacing, superficial and deep skin peeling, hair removal, phototherapy, wrinkle reduction, laser-assisted lipolysis, treatment of vascular and pigmented lesions and varicose veins, nail fungus, scar reduction and acne treatment. For more information and a complete listing of Sciton systems, visit  www.sciton.com.

About BroadBand Light (BBL) Treatment: With its user-friendly features, superior results, and exceptional ROI, BBL™ is the most complete andversatile broadband light system in its class. Its broad range of wavelengths allow targeted treatment formany skin conditions including acne, pigmented lesions, vascular lesions and hair removal. For more information, please visit www.ForeverYoungBBL.com.