What sun damage can do to your skin

Posted on 03 Feb, 2012

Sunlight can have a profound and positive effect on the way we feel, and yet it can also have a devastating effect on our skin. In addition to the risk of skin cancer, excessive exposure to the sun’s rays can also cause premature ageing of the skin which results in various changes to the appearance:

• The texture of the skin can change as it becomes thinner and fine wrinkles begin to appear. Bruising and even tearing can be more commonplace.
• Blood vessels can be affected and remain dilated, which makes them visible through the surface of the skin.
Pigmentation can become uneven, with either darker or lighter patches of skin appearing.
• Moles can also develop on areas of skin that are often exposed to the sun.

While many of these changes may not be dangerous, they can make the skin look considerably older. Sun damaged skin can be treated using microdermabrasion, Intense Pulsed Light or laser treatment to reduce the visible signs of damage and improve the general texture and tone of the skin.

And, as always, prevention is the best approach when it comes to your skin. A sun block will prevent the harmful UV rays from penetrating the skin and causing further damage.