Everyone loves getting an occasional tan, especially during summer when you head out of town to go on beach trips. Nothing is more invigorating than basking under the sun and feeling its warmth on your skin.
As fun as it is to tan and soak in some vitamin D, too much of the sun isn’t beneficial. Not only does overexposure to the sun risk skin damage, but it can also lead to other skin-related concerns seriously affecting your long-term health.
5 Types of Skin Damage from the Sun
Many people enjoy activities under the sun. However, it would help if you took proper measures to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful effects.
Here are the types of skin damage the sun can cause:
1. Sunburn
Sunburn is the most common type of sun-damaged skin, which happens when you stay out too long in the sun. Your chances of getting sunburnt are higher if you have fair skin, have a history of sunburn, are taking a drug that makes your skin prone to burning, and don’t use sunscreen.
With sunburn, your skin becomes inflamed with either a pink or red appearance and is hot to the touch. Its other symptoms include pain, itching, fluid-filled blisters, and headaches. The more sunburns you get, the more likely your skin will age prematurely.
Sunburns can range from first-degree to second-degree burns, depending on exposure levels. The former damages your skin’s outer layer, while the latter penetrates deep layers along with the nerve endings. Second-degree burns are worse since they’re more painful and take more time to heal.
If you get sunburned, don’t worry. The best thing to do is apply your skin with moisturizing cream or gel to alleviate pain and redness. The Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream is a moisturizer that doubles as a sunburn treatment since it has a cooling effect. It’s also alcohol-free, so your skin won’t sting or get irritated.
2. Wrinkles
A dreaded sign of aging, wrinkles are creases, folds, and ridges on your skin. As you get older, your skin grows thinner, drier, and less elastic, decreasing its ability to protect itself.
The sun’s ultraviolet rays can also speed up the development of wrinkles because they damage the collagen and elastin fibers in your skin. These fibers are responsible for creating connective tissues that support your skin. When this layer breaks down, your skin appears weaker and less flexible, causing it to droop and form wrinkles.
Retinol is an excellent anti-aging solution for wrinkles and comes in the form of liquid serums, gels, creams, or emollients. This antioxidant penetrates your skin’s epidermis and dermis, promoting cell turnover and elasticity by preventing collagen proteins from breaking down. Kiehl’s Micro-Dose Retinol Serum can smoothen wrinkles and fine lines and slow down the appearance of signs of aging.
3. Uneven skin tone
Do you have dark spots and patches all over your skin? Those signs could indicate uneven skin tone, an umbrella term for texture issues, blotchy skin, and hyperpigmentation. These conditions are also known as pigmentation disorders.
Sun damage is also a culprit of uneven skin tone. During sun exposure, your skin protects itself by increasing the production of a brown pigment called melanin. However, more melanin results in hyperpigmentation, causing your skin to look darker or sun-tanned and form spots or patches in black, brown, grey, pink, or red.
Don’t fret, though. If you’re suffering from hyperpigmentation, you can combat it by applying retinol, as this helps enhance skin texture and minimize pigmentation. Vitamin C and niacinamide can also reduce pigmentation by reducing dark areas and smoothening skin tone.
If you’re struggling to even out your complexion, check out Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution. This serum contains Activated C, a potent ingredient that penetrates the skin quickly to help visibly even skin tone and improve clarity.
4. Freckles
Freckles are small red or brown spots on your skin. They can appear on parts of your body that are frequently exposed to the sun, specifically the face, neck, back, upper chest, hands, and arms. Although not a health threat—in fact, freckles represent a beauty trend nowadays for people who incorporate “faux freckles” into their makeup look—it’s essential to understand what freckles can indicate.
Skin cancer types such as lentigo maligna melanoma can appear like freckles even though they aren’t. In these situations, it’s best to consult with a doctor if there are changes in freckle size, color, or shape to help determine possible concerns.
A vitamin C serum is your best bet in minimizing freckles and smoothening your skin’s texture. As such, Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution’s Activated C makes it the perfect product for fading freckles and other forms of hyperpigmentation.
5. Age spots
Also known as solar lentigines, age spots are small flat dark areas on the skin. These spots differ in size, usually appearing on exposed areas such as your face, shoulders, hands, and arms.
Age spots result from overactive pigment cells, which ultraviolet rays further speed up. Repeated sun exposure makes these spots appear either when melanin clumps up or is produced in great amounts. Having light-colored skin can also increase your odds of developing age spots.
The best way to prevent age spots is by wearing sunscreen every day. Kiehl’s Ultra Light Daily UV Defense is a lightweight sunscreen that hydrates and protects the skin from UV rays, pollution, and free radicals that cause skin aging. It can also minimize the appearance of fine lines and other signs of aging.
Prevention is Better Than Treatment
Your skin plays a big part in shielding you from the environment’s harmful elements, so best not to take it for granted. Just like other organs, your skin also has limitations. It can only do so much for sun protection. With that, consider investing in sun-protection products that deliver results.
Kiehl’s carries a range of sunscreens formulated for different skin types, so you can find one that suits oily, dry, sensitive, or blemish-prone skin. Shop Kiehl’s sunscreens now, or message us on Facebook to get personalized product recommendations.