Being active outdoors or having a job that requires you to work outside can mean spending hours in the sun. Over the months and years, these hours add up, and time spent in the sun can damage your skin. Read on to find out more about skin conditions that can be caused by too much sun.
What is photoaging?
Photoaging is the premature aging of the skin caused by constant exposure to ultraviolet A (UVA) and B (UVB) rays. Photoaging can be caused by natural exposure to the sun’s UV rays, or by artificial sources of UV light (tanning beds or sunlamps). Not only does UV exposure cause the skin to age faster than it would naturally, it can also increase the risk of skin cancer.
Photoaging is also known as sun damage, dermatoheliosis and photodamage.
What’s the difference between photoaging and chronological skin aging?
Chronological skin aging is the natural aging of your skin as a function of your age and genetic make-up. It cannot be prevented. Photoaging is caused by lifelong exposure to UV rays, mainly from the sun. Photoaging causes DNA changes in skin cells and can lead to cancer. If you take precautions, photoaging can be significantly reduced.
Who is at risk of skin damage from the sun?
Everyone is susceptible to skin damage caused by the sun. However, you are more at risk of skin damage if you:
- have a fair complexion
- have already had skin cancer, or have a family history of skin cancer, particularly melanoma
- have numerous moles
- have freckles and burn before tanning
- have blue or green eyes, blond, red or light-brown hair
- live at high altitude
- spend a lot of time outdoors and/or in tanning salons, especially when you were a child or teenager.
Are people of color at risk of skin damage from the sun?
People of all skin colors are exposed to UV rays. Exposure to UV rays increases the risk of sun-induced skin damage. However, people of color are less likely to sunburn because their skin contains more melanin, a brown pigment. Melanin helps protect the skin against some of the sun’s harmful UV rays.
If you’re black or have skin of color – even if you’re less likely to get a sunburn – you can still get skin damage or sunburn, which can be painful and cause peeling.
There is a link between sun exposure and the risk of skin cancer in lighter-skinned people, but no link appears to exist between sun exposure and skin cancer in darker-skinned people. People of color who develop skin cancer do so mostly on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet, and diagnosis is often delayed. Further studies are needed to determine the risks of skin cancer and the effectiveness of treatments in dark-skinned people.
What are the signs of photoaging?
Signs of photoaging generally appear between adolescence and the early twenties. Signs include:
- Spider veins (broken capillaries) on the nose, cheeks and neck. Also known as telangiectasia.
- Loss of skin tone (loss of elasticity) in sun-exposed areas.
- Wrinkles around the eyes and mouth increase in number and depth.
- Worry lines on the forehead, always present.
- Red, rough patches of skin (actinic keratoses).
- Lip lesions (actinic cheilitis).
- Pigmentary changes, such as colored spots or patches (melasma), freckles, liver spots (solar lentigines) and age spots.
- White patches on the arms, legs and back of the hands.
- Uneven skin color or texture.
- Thinning of the skin.
What can dermatologists do to treat photoaging?
While it’s impossible to completely eliminate photoaging, the following treatments can often help minimize it:
- There are many laser modalities that can treat the signs and symptoms of photoaging. Fractional resurfacing lasers use laser energy to rejuvenate the skin and minimize the appearance of brown spots and fine lines, as well as improve the texture and appearance of enlarged pores. Other lasers, such as picosecond and nanosecond lasers, can treat pigmentation problems.
- Chemical peels. By applying a chemical substance such as trichloroacetic acid or glycolic acid to the skin, dermatologists can eliminate brown spots and actinic keratoses and improve the complexion and texture of photo-aged skin.
- Photodynamic therapy. This treatment eliminates precancerous spots that can result from sun exposure. The doctor applies a topical drug to the skin, then uses blue or red fluorescent light to activate the drug, which destroys precancerous cells while preserving normal cells.
- Topical medications. Certain medications such as topical retinoids (like tretinoin) can be prescribed to even out skin tone and treat roughness and fine lines caused by photoaging.
- Liquid nitrogen is sometimes used to freeze non-cancerous age spots or actinic keratoses; after a few days, the spots turn dark and peel off.
How to prevent UV-induced photoaging?
Photo-aging is generally difficult to prevent completely. Photoaging is sun damage that accumulates over a lifetime of exposure. While it’s difficult – and unwise – to avoid sunlight altogether, you can still take steps to limit your exposure to UV rays to reduce premature skin aging. Don’t forget that by reducing the risk of sun damage, you also reduce the risk of skin cancer.
- Wear a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen every day. A broad-spectrum sunscreen protects your skin against UVA and UVB rays. Use products with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. Reapply every two hours, or sooner if you’re swimming or exercising. Don’t forget that you may be exposed to UV rays while driving your car or outdoors on cloudy days. That’s why you need to apply sunscreen every day to all parts of your skin not covered by clothing.
- When outdoors, wear a wide-brimmed hat, UV-protective sunglasses, light long-sleeved shirts and pants. For extra protection, look for clothing labeled with a UV protection factor.
- Avoid the hours when UV rays are strongest, generally between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Avoid all forms of tanning. If you want to look tanned, use a spray-on tanning product.
A word from us
Enjoying nature, gardening, walking, breathing fresh air – all good reasons to be outdoors. If you want to keep your skin in the best possible shape, you need to apply SPF 30+ sunscreen to all exposed skin every day before you step out your front door – even on cloudy days, or before you get in your car for a quick trip to the grocery store. UV rays, especially those from the sun, prematurely age the skin. Consult your dermatologist if you’re concerned about the quality of your skin, or if you notice any changes in skin color, spots or lesions. Many treatments are available to repair sun-damaged skin and easily treat skin cancers detected in time.