Understanding Sun Damage: How UV Rays Affect Your Skin

Did you know the effects of sun exposure accumulate over time? It’s true. Unfortunately, all of the hours you spend in the sun as a teenager will show up as sun damage when you are older. Your dermatologist has several effective ways to minimize sun damage. The dermatologists of The Dermatology Group provide comprehensive cosmetic and medical dermatology services, including sun damage treatment. They have several convenient office locations in Mount Dora, Longwood, Orlando, and Winter Park, FL.

What You Need To Know About Sun Damage

Excessive, unprotected exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays causes changes to your skin cells. DNA can become damaged, leading to:

• A sunburn, which can range from mild redness to severe redness and blistering
• Wrinkles, which develop along the lines of expression
• Melasma, which is an abnormal patch of skin discoloration on the nose, forehead, and other areas of the face
• Freckles, which are flat and circular tan to brown spots
• Solar Keratosis, which are rough, scaly patches of skin
• Actinic cheilitis, which appears on the lower lip and is similar to keratosis
• Squamous cell carcinoma, which is skin cancer within the squamous cell layer of skin
• Bowen disease, which is a type of skin cancer on the surface of the skin, appearing as a reddish brown crust
• Basal cell carcinoma, which is skin cancer within the basal cell layer of skin
• Melanoma, which is the most aggressive form of skin cancer, develops within the melanocytes

To treat sun damage, your dermatologist may recommend one or more of these effective treatments:

• Chemical peels, which remove the surface layer of skin using gentle acid solutions like hyaluronic acid
• Microdermabrasion, which removes dead skin cells using abrasive particles and suction
• Laser therapy, which works to fade brown spots by using light and heat energy

Remember that sun damage prevention starts with you, so always:

• Apply a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 every day
• Apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 50 if you have a high risk of sun damage
• Try to avoid being out in the sun during the hours of 10 AM to 2 PM, when UV rays are the most damaging

Want To Know More About Sun Damage?

To learn more about the signs of sun damage and how to protect your skin, call the dermatologists of The Dermatology Group. You can reach them at:

• Mount Dora, FL. by calling (352) 383-0733
• Longwood, FL. by calling (407) 332-8080
• Orlando, FL. by calling (407) 898-3033
• Winter Park, FL. by calling (407) 645-2737

Call today.