Researchers recently published study results which show how daily sun screen use can help slow or prevent signs of skin aging.

Researchers in Australia recently published a long term study which looked at the role of sunscreen in the prevention of skin aging. Here are the author's essential findings:

More participants assigned to daily sunscreen use reported applying sunscreen at least 3 to 4 days each week than did participants in the discretionary-use group. Those in the daily-use group were less likely to have increased skin aging after 4.5 years than were those in the discretionary-use group.

To put it another way, those told to use sunscreen every day had noticeably smoother skin than those assigned to continue their usual practices.

In a recent New York Times blog, Gina Kolata looked at these results and provides a great summary of the findings.

Others interesting factors to note include the fact that the participants were told to use sun block with an SPF 15, which is relatively low. Also, those assigned to the daily sunscreen use in actuality used it just 3-4 days a week. Significant results can be found, it appears, with consistent, but not necessarily perfect sun screen use.