What is Sun Damage?
The term “sun damage,” also known by several names such as photoaging, photodamage, and solar damage, refers to damage sustained by the skin as a result of too much exposure to sunlight. Sun damage occurs when ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun hits the skin unprotected by sunscreen, triggering DNA changes at a cellular level and causing permanent damage to the skin’s structure. As photodamage occurs in the deepest layers of the skin (the dermis), it can take years before the damage surfaces and becomes evident.
Signs and Symptoms of Sun Damage
Too much exposure to the sun can cause some of the following skin problems:
- Sunburn: Sunburn is fundamentally an injury to the skin that appears immediately after skin exposure to UV radiation. This results in a red or pink, painful region of the skin. In more serious cases, sunburn can cause small, tiny fluid-filled bumps or blisters.
- Dry, rough skin: Prolonged exposure to the sun can cause rough, dry skin. Over time, the skin becomes less moist and stops making its essential oils. This can occur at any age, even in young individuals.
- Wrinkles and aged skin: People who spend a lot of time in the sun can develop a condition called elastosis, which is the destruction of collagen and elastic tissue. This can cause changes in skin texture and result in wrinkles. Wrinkles usually manifest in regions that are exposed to the sun the most such as the face, hands, arms, and chest.
- Bruising: In some instances, exposure to the sun can damage blood vessels causing easy bruising, and as your skin gets thinner, it can show tiny blood vessels underneath the skin - a condition called telangiectasias. This often occurs on the face.
- Change in skin color: One of the most visible, enduring signs of sun damage is discolorations (either dark spots or patchy hyperpigmentation) as a result of exposure to the sun. The brown spots occur because UV light causes excess production of melanin within the skin. Without broad-spectrum sunscreen, the skin produces excess melanin to safeguard itself from sun damage. For many individuals, the excess melanin is produced unevenly and concentrates in smaller regions, causing stubborn pigmentation marks.
- Actinic keratosis: This condition is defined by a scaly, rough patch on the skin usually on the ears, lips, neck, scalp, forearms, and back of your hands. This condition can lead to skin cancers such as squamous cell carcinomas.
- Skin cancer: The most serious threat from sun damage is skin cancer. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun is the biggest cause of skin cancer. The three main types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.
Who is at Risk of Sun Damage?
Everybody is at risk of sun damage but some individuals need to take more precautions when spending time in the sun. These are individuals who have:
- Family history of skin cancer
- A history of sunburn
- Lots of moles or freckles
- Skin that burns easily
- Fair skin and light-colored hair
Diagnosis of Sun Damage
In most instances, your physician can diagnose sun damage by simply examining your skin. Sometimes, a biopsy is performed to rule out cancer which involves obtaining a small chunk of damaged skin and sending it to a laboratory for further analysis.
How Can You Prevent Harmful Effects of Sun Damage?
Staying away from prolonged sun exposure is the best way to prevent any sun damage. However, most of us go outdoors regularly, so when you go outside, take these precautions:
- Always apply sunscreen. Wear it on your skin every day. Make it a habit, as you do with brushing your teeth.
- Avoid stepping out in the sun in the middle of the day, from about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The ultraviolet rays that are known to cause sunburn are strongest during this time.
- Wear protective clothing. When you go outdoors, particularly for long periods in the middle of the day. Slacks and long sleeves, as well as a wide-brimmed hat, help safeguard your body against the harmful effects of the sun.
- Wear sunglasses that filter UV light.
Treatment for Sun Damage
Although it is not possible to completely repair sun damage, the right skincare products plus daily use of broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 30 and above can achieve significant visible improvement. Many of the new sunscreens have SPFs of 45 or more. In addition, the following treatments can often help minimize sun damage:
- Lasers: Fractional resurfacing laser can be used to rejuvenate skin and minimize the appearance of fine lines and brown spots, as well as improve the appearance and texture of enlarged pores. Other lasers, such as the pulsed dye laser, can remove redness and broken blood vessels triggered by overexposure to the sun. Laser energy can not only help you look younger but can also make your skin healthier and help treat precancerous changes.
- Chemical peels: This treatment involves the application of a chemical substance such as glycolic acid or trichloroacetic acid to the skin to remove actinic keratoses and brown spots and improve the texture and tone of photoaged skin.
- Photodynamic therapy: This treatment aids in the removal of precancerous spots that can occur from sun exposure. Your physician will apply a topical medication on your skin and then utilizes a red or blue fluorescent light to activate the medication, which eliminates precancerous cells but preserves healthy cells.
- Topical medications: Certain medications such as a topical retinoid medication (like tretinoin) can be used to even out your skin tone and address fine lines and roughness that result from photoaging.
- Cryotherapy: Liquid nitrogen is occasionally employed to freeze actinic keratoses or noncancerous age spots. After a couple of days, the spots become dark and shed off.
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