We are approaching the first day of spring with longer daylight hours and more opportunities for life-giving sunshine. When I need a work break, sitting in the sun for a few minutes can give me a much-needed boost for a more productive day.

Sunshine has many benefits, such as increasing vitamin D, improving your sleep, and reducing stress. But at the same time, the sun can have adverse effects on your health and appearance.

The worst consequence of long-term exposure to the sun is the development of skin cancer. And while we often associate wrinkles with aging, sun exposure is a significant factor in their development and how early they appear. Wrinkles appear because UV light from the sun damages collagen and elastic tissue in the skin, making it fragile and does not spring back into shape, causing sagging. UV light exposure also causes white and dark spots on the skin, damaging the surface cells.

At 60, I had both basal and squamous cell carcinomas removed from my face and leg. I was spending a small fortune trying multiple top brand skin products to fight the crepiness and wrinkles appearing on my face and body primarily caused by time in the sun.

Fortunately, I found a solution. It was GHK-Cu (copper peptides). I now use Restoracell Serum, Moisturizer, and Eye Cream with copper peptides to both correct sun damage and help protect my skin cells from future damage.

Correcting Sun Damaged Skin

Copper peptides can tighten loose skin, improve skin firmness elasticity, reduce fine lines and depth of wrinkles and reduce photodamage and skin spots. I am living proof of this peptide at work. With consistent use twice a day, Restoracell has smoothed out fine lines around my eyes, smoothed out crepiness on my neck and upper arms, and faded brown spots on my face and hands. My skin looks better than it did ten years ago.  And many of our Restoracell customers have written us about similar results they experienced while using Restoracell. https://www.restoracell.com/pages/reviews

Protecting Sun Damaged Skin

Too much sun can overwhelm the system's protective system. As the dosage of UV-radiation increases, the skin's antioxidant defenses get overwhelmed. As a result, free radicals form and cause cellular damage, such as oxidation modification of proteins and cellular DNA.

While free radicals and the sun's UV rays damage the skin's ability to regenerate, copper peptides can positively impact skin fibroblasts (cells that generate connective tissue), potentially combating UV damage to the skin barrier.

Dr. Suzanne Turner, MD, the Senior Physician at Vine Medicine in Atlanta and a specialist in cellular medicine and longevity, joined Carl Lanore and me on Super Human Radio this week to discuss the benefits of using GHK-Cu (copper peptides) before sun or radiation exposure.

"The research is being done now with GHK-Cu, especially with irradiated skin and maybe radiation in general, says Dr. Turner. When you're out in the sun, damage occurs to radiated skin. The presence of GHK-Cu initiates the DNA repair process. When fibroblasts, the repair cells of our skin, are exposed to radiation, they're then able to replicate themselves as well as fibroblasts not exposed to radiation." 

"I use GHK-Cu as a repair instead of a sunscreen per se, says Dr. Turner. It's a protection that allows your cells to go through DNA repair instead of a sunscreen. I still use sunscreen when I go out in the sun, especially if I'm going down to the Panhandle of Florida because of the damaging rays. I'm not generally exposed to the sun, but I use GHK-Cu when I know I will be exposed to radiation. I also use it when I'm being exposed to any radiation. So for me, that means even when I'm on an airplane traveling for speaking engagements."

While copper peptides can protect your skin at the cellular level, you should also use a mineral-based sunscreen to protect from sunburn. It is the only type of sunscreen that provides balanced UVB/UVA protection and does not cause potential harm. Chemical sunscreens can strongly absorb free radicals that can actually increase cellular damage.

Time in the sun has many benefits, and you can enjoy them. Just be sure to protect your skin with copper peptides (in products like Restoracell) and follow with mineral-based sunscreen before exposure to the sun.