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Photoageing is the term used to describe the changes caused by sun damage to your skin. As you probably know, your skin changes as you age, but when your skin is exposed to repeated and prolonged exposure to UV radiation from the sun, the damage caused may make your skin seem older than it is.1,2 UV radiation comes in different forms depending on the wavelength of the light – the two most well known are UVA and UVB. When these types of UV radiation reach your skin, they can damage skin cells both on the surface and in the deeper layers, causing various changes to those cells.1
Signs of sun damaged skin you may be familiar with include fine to deep lines or wrinkles, changes in skin colour such as dark spots or hyperpigmentation, roughness, and dryness. Changes you may not be aware of can be present in the deeper layers of your skin. These include damage to the DNA in your skin cells, which contribute to a loss of the collagen and elastic fibres that help maintain the structure and elasticity of your skin1,2 – giving you that plump, youthful look.
Everyone who exposes their skin to the sun is at risk of developing sun damage – which covers most people on the planet. Any exposure to the sun can damage skin cells, however, there are some people who need to be more careful than others. To help identify these people, doctors use a classification system called the Fitzpatrick skin phototype. This system describes skin colour when not exposed to the sun and the skin’s reaction after one hour of sun exposure on the first day of spring. People with skin phototypes I to III are at a higher risk of photoageing, as are:1
While a suntan may seem like a good idea, there is no such thing as a safe suntan.3 In fact, a tan is your skin trying to protect itself from the UV radiation mentioned above3 – you may have heard the government campaign “tanning is skin cells in trauma”. Depending on your phototype, your skin may tan more easily than others, but it is still a sign of sun damage.1,3 Sunburnt skin, on the other hand, is an acute inflammatory reaction to the UV radiation that appears red, painful, and inflamed. Sunburnt skin can even blister and if the burn is serious enough, the top layers of skin may peel off.1,4
The technical term for freckles are lentigines.4 They are small, flat, round spots on the skin, usually brown in colour. The colour comes from a pigment in the skin cells called melanin. Freckles can develop on areas of the skin that are regularly exposed to the sun.4 The medical term for moles is ‘melanocytic naevi’ – which just means a clump of a particular skin cell type called a melanocyte appearing together on the skin. You can be born with moles, but there is also a correlation between the number of moles you have and the amount of sun you are exposed to in childhood.4 Remember, if you have any concerns about your skin or see any new or changing spots, you should talk to your doctor.
Melasma describes typically symmetrical patches of brown skin discolouration that usually occur on areas of the face such as the cheeks. Melasma is known as an ‘acquired’ condition because women generally develop it during pregnancy.5 That said, genetics and sun exposure also play a role, as does skin phototype, as people with more pigmented skin are more likely to develop melasma.6
Sun spots are also known by their official names solar keratoses or actinic keratoses. These are small, red, scaly patches that can appear on skin that has been repeatedly exposed to the sun. They typically range from 2 mm to 2 cm in diameter and can sometimes be itchy, irritated or painful, although they usually are just visible with no associated symptoms.4 When they occur on the lips they are known as actinic cheilitis.7
There are a variety of options you may consider to help reverse sun damage on your face. Topical products include creams that you can apply to your skin, including over-the-counter skincare and anti-ageing products. Other options include procedural treatments performed by a dermatologist in their clinic, such as laser therapy or chemical peels.1
Below is summary of some treatment options for various visible signs of Sun Damage.
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Whatever management method you are considering, prevention of further sun damage is the most important thing you can do. Without regular sun protection, there is no point to treating sun damaged skin. Wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 every single day can help protect your skin from the types of sun damage discussed above. Other sun protection strategies include wearing protective clothing and a hat as well as avoiding spending time in the sun during peak hours of UV radiation intensity1,4,8 – which you can check using the SunSmart app on your phone.
If you have any concerns about your skin and potential sun damage, consider consulting a dermatologist for professional advice. Rosemary Health can help. As a virtual healthcare provider, our clinical skincare specialists are available online – start your online visit for sun damage today.
Photoageing is the term used to describe the changes caused by sun damage to your skin. As you probably know, your skin changes as you age, but when your skin is exposed to repeated and prolonged exposure to UV radiation from the sun, the damage caused may make your skin seem older than it is.1,2 UV radiation comes in different forms depending on the wavelength of the light – the two most well known are UVA and UVB. When these types of UV radiation reach your skin, they can damage skin cells both on the surface and in the deeper layers, causing various changes to those cells.1
Signs of sun damaged skin you may be familiar with include fine to deep lines or wrinkles, changes in skin colour such as dark spots or hyperpigmentation, roughness, and dryness. Changes you may not be aware of can be present in the deeper layers of your skin. These include damage to the DNA in your skin cells, which contribute to a loss of the collagen and elastic fibres that help maintain the structure and elasticity of your skin1,2 – giving you that plump, youthful look.
Everyone who exposes their skin to the sun is at risk of developing sun damage – which covers most people on the planet. Any exposure to the sun can damage skin cells, however, there are some people who need to be more careful than others. To help identify these people, doctors use a classification system called the Fitzpatrick skin phototype. This system describes skin colour when not exposed to the sun and the skin’s reaction after one hour of sun exposure on the first day of spring. People with skin phototypes I to III are at a higher risk of photoageing, as are:1
While a suntan may seem like a good idea, there is no such thing as a safe suntan.3 In fact, a tan is your skin trying to protect itself from the UV radiation mentioned above3 – you may have heard the government campaign “tanning is skin cells in trauma”. Depending on your phototype, your skin may tan more easily than others, but it is still a sign of sun damage.1,3 Sunburnt skin, on the other hand, is an acute inflammatory reaction to the UV radiation that appears red, painful, and inflamed. Sunburnt skin can even blister and if the burn is serious enough, the top layers of skin may peel off.1,4
The technical term for freckles are lentigines.4 They are small, flat, round spots on the skin, usually brown in colour. The colour comes from a pigment in the skin cells called melanin. Freckles can develop on areas of the skin that are regularly exposed to the sun.4 The medical term for moles is ‘melanocytic naevi’ – which just means a clump of a particular skin cell type called a melanocyte appearing together on the skin. You can be born with moles, but there is also a correlation between the number of moles you have and the amount of sun you are exposed to in childhood.4 Remember, if you have any concerns about your skin or see any new or changing spots, you should talk to your doctor.
Melasma describes typically symmetrical patches of brown skin discolouration that usually occur on areas of the face such as the cheeks. Melasma is known as an ‘acquired’ condition because women generally develop it during pregnancy.5 That said, genetics and sun exposure also play a role, as does skin phototype, as people with more pigmented skin are more likely to develop melasma.6
Sun spots are also known by their official names solar keratoses or actinic keratoses. These are small, red, scaly patches that can appear on skin that has been repeatedly exposed to the sun. They typically range from 2 mm to 2 cm in diameter and can sometimes be itchy, irritated or painful, although they usually are just visible with no associated symptoms.4 When they occur on the lips they are known as actinic cheilitis.7
There are a variety of options you may consider to help reverse sun damage on your face. Topical products include creams that you can apply to your skin, including over-the-counter skincare and anti-ageing products. Other options include procedural treatments performed by a dermatologist in their clinic, such as laser therapy or chemical peels.1
Below is summary of some treatment options for various visible signs of Sun Damage.
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