Think you may have sun damaged skin? Read this…
As glimmers of warmer weather have now finally turned into a fully-fledged summer, you might find yourself spending more time in the sun. And while there's a lot to love about this time of year – BBQs, Aperol and linen shirts, to name a few – possible sun damage is definitely not one of them.
Perhaps it was an accidental sunburn on holiday or you've had one too many picnics without reapplying your SPF50; maybe you've simply been enjoying the UK sunshine in your garden. The problem is, it also raises the question of what may be long-lasting sun damage of those inopportune naps in the midday sun – which can inevitably lead to sun damaged skin.
The stats, unfortunately, speak for themselves. According to a recent global CeraVe study, only 18% of people are applying sunscreen daily, despite 88% of people knowing that sun exposure can lead to sun damage. While it's estimated nearly 80% of the visible signs of ageing are due to UV exposure, sun damage can also lead to severe skin conditions as well as skin cancer.
To find out more, we called upon two experts, Dr Catherine Borysiewicz, Consultant Dermatologist at the Cadogan Clinic, and Dr Alexis Granite, CeraVe’s Consultant Dermatologist to talk all things sun damage…
What are the different signs of sun damage?
According to Dr Borysiewicz, sun damage – caused by the sun's harmful rays – comes in many different forms. "Some of the different signs and symptoms of sun damage are age spots, uneven pigmentation, melasma [brown or grey patches of skin], freckles, moles, wrinkles, fine lines, skin laxity, spider veins and tanning are all signs of damage," she explains.
While the list may seem extensive, especially to include a tan as a sign of sun damage, ultimately, a tan means that the skin has been exposed to too much UV, which stimulates an increase of melanin (the dark pigment that gives the appearance of a tan) in an attempt to prevent any further damage.
Can anyone experience sun damaged skin?
“Everyone can experience sun damage, regardless of skin type,” adds Dr Granite. “Sun damage in its most extreme form can lead to skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma,” she urges.
Can you still have sun damage even if you don't burn?
"It's important to realise that sun damage can still occur without creating a noticeable sunburn," explains Dr Borysiewicz.
According to Dr Borysiewicz, how easily a person will burn depends on where they fall on the Fitzpatrick skin type scale, which categorises people into six skin types.
A person with skin type 1 is the palest, has blue or grey eyes, blonde or red hair, freckles and who always burns in the sun. A person with skin type 6 is the darkest, with brownish black eyes, black hair and who never burns.
“Depending on your Fitzpatrick skin type, the amount of time you can spend in the sun without burning will vary. However, skin damage may still occur across all skin types, even without the skin burning.”
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Dr Borysiewicz recommends applying a high factor SPF50 with good UVA protection (look for UVA shield or 5* on the bottle) every day to exposed skin- especially face, chest and hands.
However she warns that applying a sunblock doesn’t mean it’s safe to stay out all day; "Applying a sunscreen can extend the amount of time before you burn, but this time depends on the SPF- but be warned that most people will only apply 25% of sunscreen that is required to achieve the SPF on the label- this means a 25% application of a factor 50 gives you roughly 7 times your burn time- so if you burn in 10 minutes, you will have roughly 70 min before burning."
To avoid burning, she recommends reapplying every 2 hours - not forgetting commonly missed areas such as ears!
Can you reverse sun damage?
“UV exposure causes damage to skin cell DNA and accelerates the breakdown of collagen and elastin fibres within the skin,” explains Dr Granite.
“You can improve the signs of visible ageing and treat precancerous and cancerous skin lesions that arise from this DNA damage with treatments such as topical retinoids and photodynamic therapy,” she says. But it is unlikely that all of the deep cellular damage associated with long-term sun exposure can be entirely reversed.
Do you really need to wear SPF every day?
“We do need to wear SPF daily as ultraviolet light impacts our skin in both cold and warm weather and even on cloudy days,” urges Dr Granite. Plus, she says, you never know when you might get caught out as the weather can shift throughout the day, especially in the UK.
It's important to note that sun damage is cumulative over time, so skipping sunscreen over the long-term allows the UV rays to penetrate the skin and trigger cellular damage which can lead to skin ageing and worse may lead to skin cancer down the line, she adds.
Does SPF protect skin from sun damage?
“Broad spectrum sunscreens protect our skin against ultraviolet light produced by the sun,” shares Dr Granite. “The two main types of UV light that impact the skin are UVA and UVB. Together these are responsible for producing changes within the skin that can lead to suntan and sunburn, skin cancer and the visible signs of ageing such as pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles.”
What are the warning signs when it comes to moles?
According to Dr Borysiewicz, the easiest thing to remember when it comes to moles is the ABCD rule. "Asymmetry, border, colour, diameter," she says.
The warning signs according to this rule would be an asymmetric mole where the two halves of the area differ in shape, an irregular or blurred border, an uneven colour (different shades of black, brown and pink may be seen), over 6mm in diameter or a change in size. "If in doubt, always check with an expert," adds Dr Borysiewicz.
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