Too much ultraviolet (UV) light damages the fibers in the skin called elastin. When these fibers break down, the skin begins to sag, stretch and lose its ability to go back into place after stretching. The skin also tears and bruises more easily and takes longer to heal. While sun damage may not be apparent when we are young, it will definitely show itself later in life, whilst increasing our risk for developing skin cancer.
Here are a few markers to look for in sun damaged skin:
- Pre-cancerous and cancerous skin lesions
may appear; - You will see freckles, fine lines, wrinkles and elastosis when you are exposed to the sun for long periods of time;
- Moles are one of the important things to keep an eye on when you are tanning in the sun or in a salon; you should always look for changes in size, pigment and firmness.
Remember that it is not about the color of your skin; it is about the condition of your skin.
Skin cancer is the most prevalent form of all cancers in the United States. Although we are becoming more and more educated about the risks associated with exposure to UV rays, more than often we ignore the signs. Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer and causes more than 75 percent of all skin cancer deaths.