BENIGN SUN-INDUCED CHANGES
Sunlight is a major contributor to the development of wrinkles. Old farmers and sailors with yellow, leathery, thickened, furrowed skin furnish dramatic examples. Extreme solar degeneration of the skin can produce yellow bumps or nodules. These are seen on the forehead, nose, cheeks, back of the neck and backs of the hands and forearms. Sometimes large blackheads are interspersed, especially around the eyes. Liver spots (senile lentigines) are dark, flat, smooth patches on the face or backs of the hands. These may be combined with actinic keratoses, producing a rough, scaly surface. Telangiectasias are enlarged blood vessels that appear as fine, red-to-purple irregular lines on the face or neck.
Controlling sun exposure is the only way to prevent these lesions from developing. It cannot be stressed too strongly that all changes wrought by the sun, whether benign or malignant, begin very early in life. True prevention must begin at this point. Since nothing can be done about a fair complexion, either avoidance of the sun or the liberal and faithful use of sunscreens is strongly urged.
The cosmetic desirability of a good suntan is cruelly ironic. Long after the tan has faded, the irreversible damage caused by the sun remains and continues to accumulate.
Controlling sun exposure is the only way to prevent these lesions from developing. It cannot be stressed too strongly that all changes wrought by the sun, whether benign or malignant, begin very early in life. True prevention must begin at this point. Since nothing can be done about a fair complexion, either avoidance of the sun or the liberal and faithful use of sunscreens is strongly urged.
The cosmetic desirability of a good suntan is cruelly ironic. Long after the tan has faded, the irreversible damage caused by the sun remains and continues to accumulate.
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