12/06/2025
Sun damage to the skin can have different outcomes depending on the depth to which the rays pe*****te the skin and the duration of the exposure.
SUNBURN occurs when there is short exposure to the sun. This results in erythema or redness, burning sensation, and sometimes pain. This can be soothed with alovera gels,1% hydrocortisone cream, and emollients.
PIGMENTATION occurs when there is repeated sun exposure over a relatively long time without sunscreen use.The effect of the rays usually extends deeper than that of a sunburn and involves increased melanin production.This results in scattered hyperpigmentation in the skin which may be solar lentigines and melasma.
PHOTOAGING results because of damage to collagen and elastic fibers. This shows up on the skin as wrinkles and fine lines.
KERATINOCYTE DAMAGE AND SKIN CANCERS occur when the skin cells undergo malignant change. This can result in rough patches or actinic keratoses, non healing ulcers known as basal cell carcinoma, orcarcinoma. Healing areas are known as squamous cell carcinomas.
MALIGNANT TRANSFORMATION IN MELANOCYTES result in melanoma.
SUNSCREENS are very important in reducing all these effects of the sun. They either reflect and scatter the rays (physical sunscreens) or they absorb the rays (chemical sunscreens) and render them less harmful to the skin. Of course, physical or mineral tinted sunscreens have been found to be most effective.Even with the the proper use of sunscreen, persons must still be aware of reduction sun exposure between 10 am to 2pm when the uare maximum
