SKIN CONDITIONS
Sun-damaged & ageing skin
Sun-damaged skin includes pigmentation (freckles or “age spots”), wrinkles and prominent blood vessels.
- Long-term sun exposure over many years causes the skin to deteriorate with increasing age
- Many treatments are available to improve appearance and reduce skin cancer risk
Skin ageing affects everyone, but long-term sun exposure worsens the damage to the skin and increases the risk of skin cancer.
As we age, fine wrinkles form and the skin may sag and become less elastic. Ultraviolet exposure further damages the skin, a process known as photoageing.
What does photoageing skin look like?
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Changes in skin pigmentation and blood vessels: blotchy pigmentation, loss of pigmentation, prominent freckles (“age spots”).
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Changes in skin consistency: fine and coarse wrinkles, loose and thin skin, bags under the eyes, poikiloderma: small white bumps resembling chicken skin, sagging under the jawline.
- Skin lesions: increasing numbers of seborrhoeic keratoses, angiomas, sebaceous hyperplasia, solar keratoses.
These changes mainly affect areas repeatedly exposed to the sun over an individual’s lifetime: the face, hands and forearms, upper chest and back.
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Sun-damaged skin on the chest: wrinkles, blood vessels and pigmentation
Sun damage on the cheek: wrinkles and telangiectasia (capillaries) visible on the cheek and nose
Close-up photo of a woman’s face. Multiple freckles and a large irregular lentigo on her cheek.
Lentigines (sometimes called “age spots” or “liver spots”) on the back of a woman’s hands
Ageing skin: deep nasolabial lines, lax skin under the skin and around the eyes, lentigines (freckles), wrinkles around the lips
Seborrhoeic keratoses: these are more common with increasing age and sometimes called “senile warts”
Sun damage on the chest: the skin is reddened with freckles and small pale lumps, known as poikiloderma
Who gets sun-damaged skin?
Skin ageing signs tend to be more pronounced in fair-skinned people of Northern European descent.
What other factors worsen the signs of skin ageing?
- Smoking: Nicotine reduces blood flow, which reduces the amount of oxygen and nutrients reaching skin cells. Other toxins degrade collagen and elastin.
- Nutrition: Diets high in sugars, fats and carbohydrates are associated with increased skin ageing. Diets high in fish, legumes, vegetables and olive oil help protect against photoageing.
- Immune system: Immunosuppression, either due to illness or medication, can worsen the signs of skin ageing.
Treatment of sun-damaged and ageing skin
Skin cancers are common in photoageing skin. Sun-damaged skin should be checked regularly for skin cancer, and avoiding excessive sun exposure is essential to improve the skin condition.
Treatments for sun-damaged skin must be combined with daily sunscreen use.
Clinic treatments for ageing skin, sun damage and skin rejuvenation include topical skincare products, laser, BroadBand Light (BBL), microneedling, LED light therapy, topical field treatments and photodynamic therapy.
Related conditions
Learn more about similar conditions including solar keratoses, lentigines, telangiectasia, angiomas and seborrhoeic keratoses.
Treatments for sun-damaged and ageing skin
Managing sun-damaged skin
Medical treatments for sun-damaged skin work best if combined with a regular skincare routine
Keep sun exposure to a minimum when the UV index is above 3. Wear long sleeves, hats, sunglasses and stay in the shade where possible. To minimise unwanted pigmentation, be careful about sun exposure, even on days when the UV index is low.
Wear sunscreen on your face, hands, neck, upper chest and forearms every day to reduce the total amount of UV radiation reaching your skin.
Moisturisers help improve the dryness, itch and irritation that often occur with ageing skin.
Topical products such as retinoids, vitamin C, alpha hydroxy acids and niacinamide can improve skin consistency and wrinkles and help fade pigmentation.
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