Enjoying the sun and sunbathing can make you feel better and look better for a while, but the cumulative effects of sun exposure put us at increased risk of skin cell damage, early wrinkles, age spots, actinic keratoses and skin tumors including melanoma as their most serious form. This article discusses the results of long-term and intensive exposure of the skin to the sun.

Sunburn

Tanned skin can be considered beautiful, but the golden color you see is the result of damage to the epidermis – the surface part of the skin. Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays accelerates the effect of aging and increases the risk of developing skin tumors. To prevent damage, use SPF 15 or higher, and if you have inflamed skin or light redness, increase your SPF to 30 or higher.

Sun damage (First degree sunburn)

Sunburn is caused by UV damage to the skin. Most burns are manifested by redness, warmth to the touch, mild pain. Sunburns usually appear within an hour after sun exposure and last for several days before disappearing. Pain is reduced by medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, cold compresses, aloe vera, hydrocortisone and moisturizing creams.

Sunburn (Second degree)

Second degree burns – is manifested by damage to the deep layer of the skin and nerve endings, and causes more pain than first degree burns and requires a longer healing time. It is characterized by redness, swelling, and blistering. In the treatment of blisters do not puncture – they are a source of moisture and protection, and their puncture can lead to infection. If you get blisters from sunburn, contact your doctor.

Wrinkles

The sun’s rays make the skin look older and wrinkled much earlier than it would otherwise be. More than 80% of people with a history of premature skin aging have a tan. When tanned, too much ultraviolet sunlight damages the fibers in the skin called elastin. When the fibers are damaged the skin becomes sagging, stretchy and loses the ability to return to its place after stretching.

Uneven skin pigmentation (color)

Strong sun exposure causes irregular skin discoloration or pigmentation. Some parts of the skin look darker while others look lighter. The sun, too, can cause permanent dilation of small blood vessels giving the skin a reddish appearance.

SunspotsFlat brownish-colored spots on the skin – freckles are usually found in sun-exposed parts of the body. They are much more pronounced in summer, especially among light-colored people and those with light or red hair. Freckles pose a health risk because some tumors at an early stage resemble freckles. If the freckles enlarge, change edge, color or become painful, contact a doctor or dermatologist.

Melasma (Pregnancy Mask)

Melasma (or chloasma) is marked withdark or brown spots on the cheeks, nose, forehead, and chin. Although often called the “pregnancy mask”, it is often present in men. Melasma can disappear after pregnancy. If you have melasma, use sunscreen (SPF) all the time because sunlight makes the disease worse. If the melasma does not recede, it can be treated with antipigment creams and lotions.

Age spots (Solar Lentigo)

These nasty brown or gray spots are not caused by aging although they multiply as a person ages. Age spots are the result of prolonged sun exposure of body parts such as the face, arms and cheeks. Whitening creams, acid peels and light treatments can improve ie. beautify their appearance. Solar lentigo is a harmless change but it is necessary to rule out a serious skin disease such as melanoma.

Actinic keratoses – Solar keratoses

Small, scaly red, brown, or skin-colored spots caused by excessive sun exposure usually appear on the head, neck, or arms but can be found anywhere on the body. They are the early onset of skin tumors. Actinic keratosis usually occurs in people after the age of 40, but it can also occur in much younger people. People with blonde skin with light or red hair and blue or green eyes are at greatest risk. Early treatment is advised to stop possible progression to skin cancer.

Farmer’s lip – Cheilitis actinica

Similar to actinic keratosis, actinic cheilitis is a precancerous condition that usually occurs on the lower lip. It is characterized by scaly red spots or permanent dryness and cracking of the lips. Less common symptoms include swelling of the lips, disappearance of the sharp edge between the lips and the skin, and a prominent lip line. If left untreated, actinic cheilitis can develop into invasive cancer.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin

A nonmelanoma skin tumor can appear as a hard red nodule of scaly growth that bleeds or develops a scab, but also as a wound that cannot heal. It most commonly occurs on the nose, forehead, eyes, hands, or other sun-exposed parts of the body. Squamous cell carcinoma is curable if it is noticed and treated at an early stage. If the skin cancer progresses the treatment will depend on the degree of the cancer.

Bowen’s disease

Bowen’s disease is also called squamous cell carcinoma of the skin “in situ”. It is a type of skin tumor that spreads outwards, ie. towards the surface of the skin. In contrast, “invasive” squamous cell carcinoma grows toward the inside of the skin and spreads to the inside of the body. Bowen’s disease looks like a scaly, red spot that can be scabies, and can turn into squamous cell carcinoma.

Basal cell carcinoma of the skin

The most common and easiest form of skin cancer both in terms of treatment and in terms of spreading to surrounding tissue (although it can also spread to the environment and damage surrounding tissue). Basal cell carcinoma spreads slowly and occurs most often in adults. Basal cell carcinoma can occur in many forms including a pearly white or waxy bump with visible blood vessels (on the nose, neck and face). As flat, flesh-colored, colored or in the form of brown spots most often appear on the back or chest. They rarely appear as a white, waxy scar.

Melanoma

Melanoma is not as common as other skin tumors, but it is the most serious and potentially deadly. We recognize melanoma as a mole of altered appearance or as an irregularly colored area. Contact a doctor immediately if the moles change in size, if their edge or color changes, if they have irregular edges and if they have more colors in their appearance. Also do not hesitate if the mole is asymmetrical, itchy, sugary or bleeding. Melanoma affects the skin and spreads to other organs and bones. It can be cured if found and treated at the earliest stage.

Cataract

Cataract is a darkened part of the eye lens that blocks the passage of light into the retina of the eye. Cataracts are painless but can cause problems such as blurred vision, blinking and double vision. Cataract prevention is wearing hats and sunglasses.

Sun protection

The best way to prevent sunburn, wrinkles, skin tumors and other consequences of skin damage is not to expose yourself to the sun especially between 10 am and 5 pm when the sun’s rays are strongest. When applying sunscreen, don’t forget your lips and ears, wear wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses and long-sleeved clothes. If you notice changes such as changing moles, new growths or wounds that do not heal, contact your doctor.

In short: Prolonged sun exposure has various consequences for the skin and some of them are described in this article. As a long-term protection, it is important to properly apply sunscreen, but also to report to a doctor in a timely manner if you notice changes that could potentially endanger your health or life.

Key words: long-term sun exposure, sunburn, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, sun protection

Did you know: that the solarium does not emit natural UV rays of the solar spectrum UVA and UVB, but only uniform UVA rays. As a result, the skin does not get used to UVB radiation and does not represent the protection we would like to achieve before going on holiday.

For My doctor: Perica Ante dr.med. dermatovenerologist