What is Sun Damaged Skin? Signs, Causes & Prevention Tips

Ever noticed fine lines and dark spots on your skin after a sunny holiday? It could be sun damage to the skin. 

Sun damaged skin doesn’t just show up as tanned or spotty; fine lines and wrinkles are also manifestations. Don’t stress out if you notice such signs in your skin; this blog explores what sun-damaged skin is, its types, differences from the natural ageing process, and prevention tips for you.

Without any wait, let’s get started.

What is Sun Damaged Skin?

Sun damaged skin or photoageing occurs when your skin is exposed to too much ultraviolet light from the sun. Over time, these bad rays alter your skin to the extent of looking and feeling different. Your skin may become dry, wrinkled, or spot-out, though it never ever looked like that before. However, sun damage can also cause long-term problems, which will not appear right away but rather as we age. Understanding what sun damage is lets us work on ways of protecting our skin and keeping it healthy.

What Are The Signs Of Sun Damage To Skin?

Sun damage shows through its signs in a few primary ways. Here are some signs of sun-damaged skin:

1. Dryness & Coarseness

The scorching sun’s exposure dries the skin to become coarse. In fact, it sometimes presents like sandpaper, especially around the extremities, where the sun is more abundant on areas such as the face, neck, and hands. This dryness is due to natural oils broken down by UV rays, which otherwise would have retained it soft as well as moist.

2. Fine Lines & Wrinkles

Probably one of the most visible signs of photo ageing is the appearance of lines and wrinkles earlier in life. Since ultraviolet rays can also decompose the collagen and elastin inside the skin, its building blocks, once broken down, the skin loses flexibility. This starts to present itself with lines above the eyes, in the area around the mouth, and on the forehead.

3. Dark Spots or “Sun Spots”

Dark patches, also known as sun spots or age spots, appear on sun-exposed parts of the body including the face, shoulders, and arms. These are areas where the sun’s rays have resulted in pigment changes, causing skin to appear lopsided.

4. Redness and Sunburn

The most noticeable sign of facial sun damage is sunburn on the cheeks. It reddens the skin and makes it warm to even the light touch. If sunburn repeatedly occurs too often, it actually causes more damage.

5. Broken Blood Vessels

Sun damage also breaks tiny blood vessels under the skin, which are visible under the skin. As a result, red spots or patches appear mostly on the face.

6. Actinic Keratosis

It is usually a scaly, rough patch. These usually occur in areas of the body which are generally exposed like the face, ears, neck, and back of hands. Colour varies from skin-coloured to pink, red, or brown. Actinic keratosis can be a sign of exposure to too much sun, but if left untreated, it may become serious.

Apart from all these signs, if you see pigmentation, here is a quick guide on how to get rid of pigmentation on face permanently. 

Knowing these symptoms will help you watch out for them and take action in time to prevent further damage from occurring on your skin.

What Are The Main Causes Of Photo Ageing?

Mainly, ultraviolet light is responsible for causing a change in the DNA in the skin that could lead to premature ageing and, ultimately, skin cancer. 

There are three types of UV light:

1. UVA light

This kind of sunlight harms skin from the superficial epidermis to the inner dermis. Within those layers, some parts of the skin damaged include collagen and elastin fibres, which allow the skin to have a youthful firmness and elasticity, the cells of the epidermis, and even tiny blood vessels known as capillaries.

2. UVB Light

These are forms of sunlight that have radiation that penetrates the outer layer of the skin. UVB damages the DNA (more intensely than UVA) in the epidermis, and this exposure leads to both photoaging and the development of precancerous cells called actinic keratoses.

3. UVC Light

This type of radiation from the sun is totally absorbed by the ozone layer and the atmosphere, so it does not pose any serious health threats.

Here’re Simple Tips To Prevent Sun Damage To Skin

If you often go out in the Sun, follow these tips to prevent facial sun damage and keep your skin healthy.  

1. Apply Sunscreen Every 2 Hour

The largest line of defence your skin has against UV rays is sunscreen. Opt for a sunscreen with at least an SPF of 30. Also, it should be broad-spectrum that is able to defend against damage from UVA and UVB rays. Apply sunscreen day after day, even when you are going indoors or on cloudy days as UV rays can pass through windows.

2. Stay Covered

You must protect your clothes. Covering up can also protect your skin. Choose long sleeves, wide-brimmed hats, and sunglasses to shield your skin from direct sunlight. Some clothes even have built-in sun protection, giving you extra coverage.

3. Seek Shade

Ultraviolet rays from the sun are most intense between 10 am and 4 pm. Try to be indoors during that time, or at least take breaks in the shade or under an umbrella. Too much skin exposure would then be avoided.

4. Avoid Using Tanning Beds

Tanning beds might give you a quick tan, but your skin is exposed to harmful ultraviolet rays that can damage it. Instead, try sunless tanning products if you want a tan without the danger.

The above tips can help keep your skin safe and reduce the dangers associated with sun damage in the long term.

Address PhotoAgeing To Enjoy Younger & Smoother Skin

Sun damaged skin is prone to quick ageing. It would therefore enhance the occurrence of wrinkles, dark spots, and drooping skin much before in a naturally aged individual. Sun damage is distinct from natural ageing as it primarily occurs on sun-exposed body parts such as the face, neck, and hands. 

If you need a quick option to address the sun damage to your skin, consult UltraClear laser treatment Leeds. It involves penetrating a concentrated beam of laser light into your skin, which treats your skin at the cellular level. Within a few sessions, the signs of sun damage and ageing fade away, giving you a subtle glow and healthier skin. 

It’s time to ditch sun damage and enjoy the health of your skin!