It is important to protect your skin from an early age. We all hear how important sunscreen is when we are younger. Yet, many of us choose to ignore this advice because we cannot imagine a time when we will experience skin aging and skin damage. Protecting your skin may be even more important than you think, as it affects the following health concerns.
Increased aging of the skin
No one looks forward to the added years on our skin. Skipping sunscreen and skin moisturizer can add years to the skin prematurely. In fact, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, more than 90% of the visible changes commonly attributed to skin aging are caused by the sun. Additionally, many of these changes could have been prevented with a high SPF sunscreen. Once the damage is done to the skin, it is very hard, if at all possible, to remove it. Even with multiple dermatologist visits and advanced dermatology services, the skin will never look at young as it once did.
Increased acne and acne scarring
Although acne can be caused by many factors, it can be caused by improperly protecting the skin. For example, some people choose to use oils to increase sun tanning. Oils get trapped into the pores of the face and increase acne. While acne might seem like a temporary problem that will go away as you get older, this is not always the case. Acne treatments can be very harsh and some require special dermatologist services. Acne can also leave scars on the face and some of these scars are permanent. Nearly 85% of people have acne at some point in their lives. It usually starts in puberty but can affect people into their 20s, 30s, 40s, and even 50s.
Permanent sunspots
Sunspots are similar to premature aging but are visible spots all over the body. These sunspots are usually a lighter color, sort of like a whitened freckle. Sometimes the sunspots will fade over time and others, they are permanent. This can be caused by hyperpigmentation, which is another condition caused by the excessive sun to the skin. Sunspots can start showing up as early as the 20s, but most people start noticing them into their 30s and 40s. Extreme sunspots will likely need to be looked at by a cosmetic dermatology clinic or your preferred dermatologist.
Medical skin conditions
There are some medical conditions that can be brought on by, or made worse, with unprotecting sun exposure. Many Americans have some form of psoriasis, which is an excessive drying of the skin. This can result in peeling of the skin and an increase in rough and scaly patches of skin. People that experience dry skin often try expensive lotions that claim to fully moisturize the skin. However, because it is a medical condition, it is not corrected by over the counter lotions and usually requires dermatologist services. This too can be caused by years of poor skin health treatment.
Swollen facial skin
Some people will notice an excessive swelling of the face as they age. Even if they are not gaining weight otherwise, they notice an increase in water weight being stored in the face. Fortunately, this is a condition that can be treated by your local dermatologist. In some cases, it is caused by years of poor skin health and other times, it is simply a symptom of aging.
Many people do not take proper care of their skin. It is something that you take advantage of as a young person. When you get older, you wish you would have taken better care of it to not have as many sunspots, acne scars, or sun damage. While some of these conditions can be treated by a local dermatologist, many of them are permanent signs of poor skin protection.
