Sun (UV) Damage
While most people enjoy time in the sun, and exposure is vital to the creation of vitamin D, sunlight also contains harmful UV rays. Over time, the skin undergoes "photo-aging", the accumulation of minor damage to the skin due to these rays.
Prolonged sun exposure leads to varying degrees of skin pigmentation, lines and wrinkles, sun-spots (actinic keratoses), redness and thinning of the skin, loss of elasticity and skin tone. The areas that receive most sun exposure, and hence incur the most sun-damage, are the face, neck, 'V' of the chest, hands and forearms.
Photo-aging can end up making skin appear prematurely aged, and bring about symptoms that are separate from natural aging. OTC treatments for photoaging can help, but there are numerous cosmetic treatments available to combat the signs of photo-aging.
Treatments
Different treatments are appropriate for different varieties of sun damage, and you may have a choice between several. You can discuss what solution is most suitable with your dermatologist.
Botox. An injection of botulinum toxin (a complex type of protein) into specific muscles will immobilize those muscles, preventing them from forming wrinkles and furrows. The use of botulinum will also soften existing wrinkles.
BE AWARE OF UV DAMAGE
We recommend you also look at the following pages and carefully monitor your skin for signs of more serious UV related conditions.
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC), or skin cancer, is one of the most common kinds of cancer. It is most often found on the face, neck, hands, or other parts of the body that receive the most exposure to the sun.
There are two main categories of skin cancer: melanomas and non-melanoma skin cancers. Squamous cell carcinoma is one of the non-melanoma skin cancers.
Most moles are benign and remain so, but it is important to keep an eye on your moles so that you notice any changes that may indicate the first signs of skin cancer.
