A team of international scientists have released research results that is said to prove that using sunscreen regularly can reduce the signs of skin aging significantly.

The research, which was funded by the National Health and Medical research Council of Australia, focused on a group of 903 randomly chosen adults that were all aged under 55.

The purpose of the study was to determine to what extent regular use of sunscreen slowed skin aging measured by degree of photoaging, compared with discretionary use of sunscreen in combination with β-carotene antioxidant supplements and a placebo

The study was assigned to 4 groups: daily use of broad-spectrum sunscreen and 30mg of β-carotene, daily use of sunscreen and placebo, discretionary use of sunscreen and 30mg of β-carotene, and discretionary use of sunscreen and placebo.

The groups that used sunscreen daily were asked to apply SPF 15+ to their head, neck, arms and hands each morning and after bathing, as well as during sun exposure and after heavy sweating.

The assessments were made over a four and a half year period using microscopic impressions of the subject’s hands to determine how much damage was visible.

The images showed that the group using sunscreen on a daily basis showed no detectable signs of skin aging, while skin aging from the baseline to the end of the trail was 24 percent less in the daily sunscreen group, compared to the discretionary group.