Posted: 13:07, September 5, 2022 | Updated: 14:15, September 5, 2022
A shocking photo reveals the consequences of using sunscreen only on your face and not your neck. A 92-year-old woman was left with a sunburned neck covered in wrinkles and liver spots after choosing not to use UV-protecting moisturizers under her face for more than 40 years. But the pensioner, who has not been named, was left with blemish-free skin on her face, where she had used SPF products. Experts from the Technical University of Munich, Germany, said the images show the “stunning difference in sun damage” between parts of the body that are protected from the sun. They warned that not enough is being done to encourage the use of sunscreen, which is vital to reducing skin cancers. The NHS encourages everyone to use at least factor 30 protection. Regular users of sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher can cut their risk of melanoma – a skin cancer that kills 2,300 people in Britain and 7,650 in the US each year – by half, according to studies. A 92-year-old woman has been left with a sun-damaged neck covered in wrinkles and age spots because she didn’t use UV protection under her face for more than 40 years
HOW TO STAY SAFE IN THE SUN
Sunburn increases a person’s risk of skin cancer. It can happen overseas or in the UK. To stay safe in the sun, experts recommend people:
Seek shade between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., which is when the sun’s rays are usually strongest Wear sunscreen of at least SPF 30 Apply sunscreen 30 minutes and again shortly before UV exposure Choose waterproof sunscreen if necessary and reapply after swimming, sweating or using a towel Cover up with protective clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses Be especially careful with babies and small children. Infants under six months should be kept out of direct sunlight Do not use sunbeds or lamps Checks moles and skin for any changes
Source: NHS Choices
The photo of the woman was first reported in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.
Writing in the journal, dermatologist Dr Chritsian Posch said the image shows how “preventing the negative effects of UV radiation is both important and effective”.
He said: “Clinical examination reveals a striking difference in sun damage between her cheek and neck.”
Looking older due to age is natural – but this due to sun exposure is known as photoaging.
About 90 percent of all visible skin changes are caused by photoaging, says the Skin Cancer Foundation.
UV rays can penetrate the first two layers of the skin – the epidermis and the dermis – and damage the cells’ DNA.
Damage to the top layer of the skin causes the body to produce melanin as part of its attempt to prevent the sun from continuing its assault.
This usually leads to tanning of the body, as the substance produces a darker pigment in the skin.
Exposure to UVA waves, which have a longer wavelength and penetrate deeper than the other form of UV radiation, UVB, leads to damage to the middle layer of the dermis over time.
The layer contains collagen, elastin and other fibers that support the structure of the skin.
Deeper penetration destroys these proteins, causing the skin to gradually become looser and wrinkled.
This is why UVA radiation is considered the main cause of photoaging. UVB is the type of ray most associated with sunburn.
Meanwhile, infrared light, which is felt as heat, and high-energy visible light (HEV) from the sun are also linked to the destruction of the dermis.
The combined effects can cause the skin to become looser, more wrinkled, and the liver to become blotchy.
