No matter the weather, your skin is being affected by UV radiation the moment you step outside. Proper skin protection is key to preventing sunburns before they start, but what’s the best way to care for and soothe your skin after the damage has been done?

According to the research of Dr. James Beckman and the staff at Therapon, the answer may lie in fruit acid. Many of you are familiar with the benefits of Theraderm Fruit Acid Exfoliant, but for those that don’t know, fruit acid refers to an alpha hydroxy acid that is commonly found in vegetables and fruits and is also naturally produced by our bodies.

So how does this naturally occurring lactic acid help to soothe and heal sunburns? We first need to understand that a sunburn is, according to Dr. B, an energy-based injury, namely, any injury that results from UV radiation. It is energy that penetrates the layers of our skin and creates an inflammatory response, including the painful redness and blistering we often associate with sunburns.

This is where the lactic acid comes in. Lactic acid’s role in the body is to:

  • Prevent
  • Control
  • Mediate
  • Modulate

the inflammatory response. As such, the effect of lactic acid isn’t necessarily to heal a sunburn so much as it is to prevent the development of the symptoms of sunburn. In other words, rather than soothing the burn, it actually keeps the burn from ever happening. Thus, if you apply a fruit acid to your skin within the first 6 hours after being exposed to any UV radiation, you can actually PREVENT symptoms such as:

  • Redness
  • Pain
  • Blistering

Even more, if you’re using fruit acid as part of a daily skin care regime, you’ll discover that you’re not only preventing future damage due to sunburns, but you’re actually REVERSING the damage that occurs through daily exposure. This means that you can literally turn back the clock by undoing all the effects the sun has on your skin.

So the next time you’re out and about and you feel the sting of the sun beckoning, take comfort in knowing that a little fruit acid from Theraderm has you, and your skin, covered.