Namibia is one of the sunniest countries in the world, making it hard to escape the harsh rays of the sun. Healthy exposure to sunlight has many benefits, including the brain’s release of the body’s feel-good hormone serotonin, and the production of vitamin D. Spending time outdoors in the daylight c
an also help prevent nearsightedness in kids and helps us sleep well at night.
Excessive exposure to the sun’s UV rays can however cause damage to the skin and eyes. Premature ageing, wrinkles and the development of skin cancers are results of too much time in the sun. It also raises the risk of developing cataracts and eye cancers, pterygium (growths on the conjunctiva) and photokeratitis, which is sunburn on the eye.
The signs of sun damage to the skin are often hard to hide. One can see pigmentation changes (larger, darker appearance of freckles, age spots and liver spots), wrinkles becoming deeper, decreased skin elasticity, rough and uneven skin texture, broken capillaries or veins around the nose and chest, and redness or blotchiness.
The good news is that sun damage to the skin can be treated. Aesthetic Centre Olympia offers state-of-the-art skin treatments that will leave you feeling great about the way you look. We can advise on the best home regime using focused ingredients to treat sun damaged skin. If more serious issues need to be treated, we offer Intense Pulsed Light treatment (IPL), Tixel TMA treatment, Microneedling with LED light treatment, and Chemical Peels.
It’s never too late to adopt sun-safe habits to protect the skin and eyes. Use an SPF of no less than 50 with a UVA and UVB protection and re-apply every two hours. IR-A & HEVL labelled SPFs provide an advanced light protection. Protect your eyes by never looking directly into the sun and avoid reflections off water or snow.
At Olympia Optics, we recommend that you wear sunglasses that provide 100% UV or UV400 protection. If you wear prescription lenses or contact lenses, make sure they have UV protection.
By adopting sun-safe habits, we can all enjoy the wonderful benefits of the sun and ensure our skin and eyes are well looked after.
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