Post-holiday Sunshine: Are you risking Actinic Keratosis?

Who doesn’t love a summer holiday? Thing is, before your tan lines even have a chance to fade, the effects of accumulated sun damage could be taking hold within your skin.

While just one bad sunburn in our youth can increase our chances of developing skin cancer later in life, the cumulative effect of years of unprotected sun exposure raises our risk of developing Actinic Keratosis (AK).

What is Actinic Keratosis – and who’s at risk?

Actinic Keratosis is caused by prolonged exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. Over time, UV damage affects the DNA in skin cells, leading to rough, scaly patches that may appear on sun-exposed areas like your face, neck, arms, and hands. While these patches may seem harmless at first, they can develop into squamous cell or basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer, if left untreated.

While anyone can develop Actinic Keratosis, certain groups are more susceptible. These include fair-skinned people over 50 with an existing history of lifelong sun exposure or a weakened immune system. Research has shown that men tend to be more at risk than women. In addition, they’re often not as diligent about wearing sunscreen and often work, exercise or socialise outdoors. (Yep, think about all that time spent outside around the braai!) Still, women most definitely aren’t immune and, if you’re a tanning bed user, don’t think that artificial UV exposure is any less dangerous than the sun. If anything, your local “tan can” is the fast track to accelerated skin ageing and precancerous lesions.

How can I win the war on Actinic Keratosis?

Becoming a pro at applying sunscreen is a great start, but research has shown this isn’t enough to ensure the very best protection. This is why Lamelle Pharmaceuticals has developed Nia-Sol, an innovative inside-and-out protection system to significantly reduce the risk of actinic keratosis and pre-cancerous lesions.

Your action plan starts with taking our Nia-Sol Oral Supplement for internal protection. It’s an all-natural supplement containing Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3), French Maritime Pine Bark Extract (a powerful antioxidant), and Vitamin D3 to increase your skin’s resilience. Together, they can help repair UV-induced DNA damage and reduce inflammation caused by sun exposure.

Your second step? Applying Nia-Sol Topical Gel or Lotion. The Lotion has been formulated with mega-moisturising ceramides, so it’s a great choice for anyone with a drier skin type and can double as a daily moisturiser, while the Gel can spot-treat any affected areas. Both products are formulated with photo-activated repair enzymes which actively locate and correct recent DNA damage and promote healthy, new skin. They also feature multi-tasking nicotinamide along with and panthenol, a soothing anti-inflammatory.

Here's to more holidays – and healthy skin!  
Knowing you’re at risk of developing AK doesn’t mean your sunny days are over. Simply invest in a cutting-edge sunscreen, get real about wearing it and stop rolling the dice with a potentially deadly outcome when you don’t have to. With Nia-Sol, you can reverse sun damage, fight Actinic Keratosis and prevent precancerous skin changes. This way, you can enjoy your next summer holiday with maximum peace of mind!