Forefront
CAN SUN-DAMAGED SKIN BE REVERSED? Here comes the sun! It’s that time of year when sun-worshippers cook like sausages, the fairskinned look even paler from layers of hard to rub in suntan lotion and the fake tanned reveal their orange hands, elbows and knees. In this article, we are asking the question, can sun-damaged skin be reversed? I have some good news for you. Skin sun damage starts when we are young… Sun damage to the skin starts at a young age but doesn’t reveal itself until many years later. Too much exposure to the sun’s UV (ultraviolet) rays can break down collagen and elastin fibres. The fibres that we need to keep our skin smooth and tight, the same fibres that we produce less of as we age. In conclusion, too much sun exposure and the depleting production of collagen and elastin as we age results in photoaging and crepey skin. Photoaging and crepey skin… Photoaging or photodamage is the term used to describe how repeated sun exposure prematurely ages the skin causing DNA changes to skin cells resulting in wrinkles. It can cause skin pigmentation changes, age spots, freckles, and a decrease | 4 | Aging Matters
in skin elasticity. As we age we produce less natural oils, oils that are needed to seal moisture into the skin preventing it from drying out. Photoaging causes crepey skin, much like the crepe paper we would use at school to make creative art collages. If you remember, the multi-coloured crepe paper felt weird and was almost impossible to smooth out. ‘Crepey skin’ is a recognised condition, the skin looks and feels dry and made a lot worse by sunburn from overexposure to UV rays.
awareness of sun-damaged skin has increased, the younger generation are well educated about it. It is important to protect your skin from UV rays because 65% of cancerous melanomas are caused by sun rays. Please visit your doctor if you have concerns about moles on your body. Can sun-damaged skin be reversed? I read what the experts say. It’s good news!
You can see the instant damage to cells and blood vessels in the skin when you get sunburnt, and this can result in the leathery skin texture that you see on people who spend a large majority of their time outside.
According to dermatology specialists Dr Susan Bard and Dr Hadley King, it is possible to partially reverse some types of sun damage on your skin. If you have wrinkles, fine lines or other characteristics of sun damage a dermatologist can help you smooth out your skin.
The severity of sunburn (firstdegree burns) depends on the type of skin type and time in the sun. Thankfully,
Specialists use lasers, chemical peels and certain topical medications to treat or destroy sun-damaged skin.
