Every time you go outdoors without sun protection or use a tanning bed, ultraviolet (UV) light damages your skin. With time, this damage builds up and you see changes to your skin, which can make you look years older than you naturally would. These changes include:
- Wrinkles
- Age spots
- Loose skin
- Spider veins
- Blotchy or ruddy complexion
If you use tanning beds, you’ll notice these changes quickly — often in a few years. Some people who use tanning beds see signs within a year or even sooner. The medical term for these changes is “photoaging.” You may also hear the terms “premature aging” or “sun-damaged skin.”
As the damage builds, you may see deep lines or dry, scaly patches called actinic keratoses (AKs). An AK is a pre-cancerous skin growth. Sun damage can also lead to skin cancer. And sometimes an AK turns into a type of skin cancer called squamouscell carcinoma.
Spending time in harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays without protecting your skin from the sun’s can add years to your looks. Fortunately, there are ways to erase some of this damage, and can give you younger-looking skin
While much of the damage is permanent, treatment can reduce some signs of sun damage that are making you look older.
To treat signs of aging, board-certified dermatologists often use more than one type of treatment. This helps to treat the different signs of aging. It also helps to give you a natural and healthy appearance, so you don’t look like you’ve had “work done.”
Although treatment can reduce signs of aging on your skin, you’ll also need to start protecting your skin from the sun. If you use tanning beds, you’ll have to stop.
Without protection from harmful UV rays, you may:
- Develop side effects from treatment
- Fail to get the results you seek
- Continue to damage your skin
Sun protection can also help prevent, slow down, and even reverse signs of sun damage. To be effective, you must use sun protection every day — even when it’s overcast or cold outside.
If you are already experiencing premature aging or texture concerns, or if you just want to be proactive with prevention, let us help you with a treatment plan for your skin. It’s never too early (or too late) to start taking care of your skin with the help of our dermatologists.