Throughout the centuries, there have been different beliefs about the sun and the damage it can cause to your skin. In early days, porcelain white skin was so important, women used lead based make-up to achieve that white skin and often died of lead poisoning. In the 1800s, the paler your complexion, the wealthier you appeared, and the paleness was achieved by staying out of the sun at all costs and using a parasol to protect your skin from its damaging rays.
By the mid 1900’s, however, tanned skin signified healthiness and attractiveness, and women used an array of different methods to achieve it, including tanning lamps and the use of baby oil as an accelerant. Today, we understand that the sun can be bad for you and use an array of sunscreens while visiting spray tan centers to obtain that “healthy glow.” Below you will find a list of different types of sun damage and ways each can be treated.
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Dry Skin
Many people are not aware that skin that dry skin can be a type of sun damage and can cause the person to look much older than they really are. Wearing a moisturizing sun block can help treat the skin as it deters any further sun damage.
Sunburn
Sunburned skin is a sign of injury due to sun damage and can range from mild (just a pinking of the skin) to severe with pus filled blisters. People who have had even one severe sunburn in their life can be prone to developing melanoma later in life. To avoid getting a sunburn, always wear sunscreen and stay covered up when you have to be in the sun. Fair skinned people are more prone to developing sunburns.
Actinic Keratosis
If you have bumps, about the size of a pimple, that are scaly, feel like sandpaper, and do not go away on their own, you probably have actinic keratosis, a type of sun damage with a high probability of turning cancerous.
Changes in the Skin Structure
That leathery, wrinkled skin you often see on people who have spent their lives working outdoors is another type of sun damage. Not only is this type of sun damage unattractive, it can be irreversible, although it is treatable. The best treatment for this type of damage is preventative, but there are chemical peels and other medical options that can lessen the damage.
The Skin & Vein Center
Schedule your consultation today to discuss these or any other sun damage issues you may have. Sun damage can lead to melanoma, and a physician’s examination and diagnosis is of the utmost importance.