Help for Sun-Damaged Skin

Too much exposure to the sun causes photoaging, a process that makes the skin look much older than it really is. A sun-damaged skin is coarse, dry, decolorized and freckling, with a leathery appearance, brown spots and deep wrinkles. There is a powerful link between excessive sun exposure and skin cancer. Apart from the classic medical methods of helping sun damaged-skin (botulin injections, chemical peels, dermabrasion, laser skin resurfacing and different creams and lotions), a very powerful tool that reduces the negative effects of over-exposure to the sun is a healthy diet. One of the most powerful adjutants in the recovery of sun-damaged skin is broccoli. This vegetable contains vital compounds necessary for the health of your skin such as vitamin A, vitamin C, beta carotene and selenium. Tretinoin is a compound of the vitamin A that works in erasing wrinkles caused by sun exposure. Vitamin C plays an essential role in the production of collagen, which maintains the integrity of the skin. Research has shown that vitamin C can prevent damage done by free radicals to the skin. Selenium is a mineral found in broccoli that fights against the action of free radicals caused by the sun and therefore prevents skin damage. Selenium is also well known for its properties of slowing down the skin aging process and preserving its elasticity. Broccoli sprouts are very rich in sulforaphane, a phytochemical that is able to repair much of the damage that photoaging has done to the skin.