by Jaelyn James

Created on: December 09, 2006   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

I am a licensed medical esthetician, and when my clients ask me what anti-aging products they should use, I always tell them that the most important thing they can put on their face every day is sunscreen. It is the single most important thing in any self-care regimen. Without it, you are putting your self at risk for skin cancer.

Women spend hundreds, even thousands, of dollars every year on beauty products to fight the signs of aging, and even more on skin care procedures such as dermabrasions, laser treatments, and chemical peels. While there is a lot of value and merit to taking these steps to reduce fine lines and hyperpigmentation (brown spots), if sunscreen is not used daily, these problems will return, often times to a much greater degree. Anti-aging treatments and products are very effective, but they also can be detrimental to your skin if you don't use sunscreen.

There are a number of procedures that can help eliminate sun spots safely and effectively with little or no down time. Microdermabrasion and chemical peels are quick and painless procedures that are proven to help fade the signs of aging. Both of these procedures to this by exfoliating the top layer of dead, dull skin. By increasing the exfoliation process, you can ultimately change the tone and texture of your epidermis. But these are not permanent fixes. If a proper sunscreen is not used following any type of exfoliation, you are exposing the fresh new skin to the sun's rays, and to more sun damage.

I had a client who came to see me for a microdermabrasion to help with hyperpigmentation and fine lines. After her 3rd treatment, she went to her family lake cabin for a week and 'forgot' to use the sunscreen I had prescribed for her. The next time she came to my office, her entire face was covered with large areas of hyperpigmentation. By not using sunscreen she not only reversed the work that we had done on her skin, she also had exposed herself to the sun's damaging UVA and UVB rays. She put herself at great risk for precancerous and cancerous skin conditions.

If you are not prepared to apply sunscreen every single day for the rest of your life, there is absolutely no reason to purchase or use any kind of anti-aging skin care products. Without using a sunscreen, you are not only wasting your money but you are putting yourself at risk for many other skin problems.

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