How Does the Sun Affect Your Skin Health?

Even though the sunny days are just now beginning this spring, your approach to skin care can still be affected by your time outside. Sun exposure can bring some positive benefits to your skin’s complexion and health – as well as some drawbacks.

Creating Vitamin D

Vitamin D is an important nutrient for your body, as it can help build strong bones and improve overall muscle function. It can also make your skin more radiant and help with certain inflammatory conditions like eczema and rosacea. Mild sun exposure allows your body to use ultraviolet light (UV rays) from the sun with cholesterol in your skin cells to produce your own vitamin D.

Sunburn and sunspots

Sun exposure is beneficial when it's moderate. Too much time in sunlight can turn that pleasant positive into a negative quickly. Too much UV exposure can damage your skin by dilating blood vessels and increasing melanin production. This leads to sunburn and sunspots.

Wrinkling

Too much sun exposure without appropriate protection can lead to premature aging. Dr. Neela Rao, a CEENTA facial plastic specialist at our Fort Mill office, explains this process. “UV rays cause the skin to lose elasticity which, in turn, leads to the development of fine lines and wrinkles. In addition, time in the sun without proper hydration can dry the skin and make any existing fine lines look more prominent.”

Lesions and cancer

By staying out in the sun too long without a physical grade sunblock and UV protective clothing can lead to long-term consequences later. UV damage to your skin cells impairs your skin's ability to repair itself. Over time, this can lead to both pre-cancerous and cancerous lesions appearing, like basal cell carcinoma and melanoma.

The sun can be a wonderful asset to your physical and mental health, but it should be used safely and in moderation. If you find yourself facing sunspots, uneven pigmentation, and fine lines, consider CEENTA’s new laser and light services with the revolutionary Sciton Joule X Platform. Dr. Jewel Greywoode in Uptown and Dr. Neela Rao and Licensed Esthetician Amanda Mackey at our Fort Mill location are trained to use this device to help you achieve your desired skin care results. Revitalize your skin by scheduling your laser and light consultation with CEENTA today.

This blog is for informational purposes only. For specific medical questions, please consult your doctor. New patients can make appointments online with our facial plastic specialists in North and South Carolina. Current patients can also make appointments through myCEENTAchart with physicians they have already seen.