Sun Damage and Skin Aging

It is difficult for us to avoid the sun. Sunlight has infrared radiations and ultraviolet radiations. These radiations cause changes in the skin. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is invisble, doesn’t feel warm and can cause unpleasant or dangerous effects on the skin: A little UV light is helpful to make vitamin D, but overdoing it causes acute radiation injury to skin (sunburn), damages the DNA of our skin cells (leading in some cases to skin cancer), increases the breakdown of collagen, the main supporting protein of our skin leading to wrinkles and photo-aging, causes skin pigmentation and freckling (compare the inside and outside of your forearm now for a demonstration), and can cause the development of permanent blood vessels on the cheeks.

We assess the skin for signs of sun damage and are able to prescribe and undertake corrective treatments. This includes recommendation of broad spectrum sun protection (sun block), use of topical retinoids (vitamin-A like preparations) to reduce and reverse signs of photo-aging, prescription of topical azelaic acid and hydroquinone to remove surface pigmentation, trichloracetic acid skin peels to even skin tone and reduce solar lentigos and freckles, and use of intense pulsed light and laser treatments for facial redness and blood vessels. The Doctor will also assess the moles for signs of skin cancer and explain the danger signs and self surveillance techniques for picking up skin cancer early.