An Overview of Sun Damage

It is a wonder how people can still be sun worshipers even with all the scientific data that has been collected over the years. And if that isn't enough, it is clear as day on those who are older that would sun bathe for hours on end: their skin is wrinkled and badly damaged, so why doesn't the younger generation use this as an example? Apparently, humans want the best of both worlds: to look great and "healthy" in their youth with a golden tan, but unwrinkled in their older years. That is just wishful thinking. Skin care begins in your childhood and continues forever. This article describes the damage the sun can cause to unprotected skin.

For the last 50 years or so, Americans have had this obsession with being tan and enjoying the sun as much as possible. We've all seen the pictures of the people putting the huge foil reflectors by their faces to reflect as much sun back to the face as possible. To top off the lack of respect for the sun, sunscreen is a relatively new creation. All of this, as well as a variety of other factors, have led people to have incredibly damaged skin due to the sun.

Sun damage, or photo damage, refers to how the sun alters the look and feel of the skin. In many cases it is a form of extrinsic aging or aging caused by the surroundings of an individual. Extrinsic aging is collective; its effects are exacerbated with repeated unprotected exposure to the sun.

Photo damage is caused by frequent exposure to UV rays. UV rays are an undetectable form of radiation emitted by the sun. There are two main types: UVA and UVB. UVB rays are short wavelength rays that affect the upper layers of skin and cause sunburn. UVA rays have a longer wavelength and affect the middle levels of the skin. These are the rays that damage the collagen and other portions of the skin and make people look old. In addition, they are also the cancer causing rays.

The results of exposure to these rays are particularly apparent on the face. They cause fine lines, wrinkles, discoloration, textural changes, and frequently even cancer. In addition, the epidermis becomes thinner which allows the skin to blister, to tear, and to graze more easily. The skin also feels dry because it is less able to hold onto water. In addition, there is increased dermal scarring from repeated inflammation.

While the damage done to an individual's skin can not be completely reversed, the appearance of an individual's skin can be improved. This is done through a variety of methods. Some methods require visiting a plastic surgeon (for Botox treatments for wrinkles) while other methods can be done at home.

The home remedies include applying lotions and creams that contain Alpha-Hydroxy acids, Vitamin C, lipoic acid, or retinoid. These, when applied regularly, may reduce the number of fine wrinkles and fade blotchy pigmentation. Resurfacing procedures such as dermabrasion, chemical peels, fractional laser treatment, and laser resurfacing all remove the top lawyer of damaged skin which is then replaced by new, healthy cells.

It is important to keep in mind that if your skin is very damaged, wrinkles may be the least of your problems. Skin cancer is a very real possibility for anyone with lots of damage. Be sure to check with your dermatologist immediately if you notice anything odd about your freckles or moles.

If you would like more information concerning skin resurfacing treatments, feel free to contact the Houston medical spa professionals of Dermagenix via their website http://www.dermagenix.net. Their experienced team will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have concerning your skin damage and any treatment options available to you.
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