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An in-depth report on the treatment and prevention of skin wrinkles and blemishes.
Liver spots; Pupura; Seborrheic keratoses; Cosmetic surgery; Plastic surgery
Exposure to Sun in Childhood. It is estimated that 50 - 80% of skin damage occurs in childhood and adolescence from intermittent, intense sun exposure that causes severe sunburns. In spite of this now well-known effect, many people still believe that a tan in children signifies health. And even though many parents are concerned about sun exposure, they still rely too much on sunscreen and not enough on protective clothing.
The Elderly. Most people over 70 have at least one skin disorder. Many have three or four. Everyone experiences skin changes as they age, but a long life is not the sole determinant of aging skin. Family history, genetics, and behavioral choices all have a profound impact on the onset of aging-skin symptoms.
Of all the risk factors for aging skin, exposure to UV radiation from sunlight is by far the most serious. Indeed, the vast majority of undesirable consequences of aging skin occur in individuals who are repetitively exposed to the sun, including the following:
Experts have devised a classification system for skin phototypes (SPTs) based on the sensitivity to sunlight. It ranges from SPT I (lightest skin plus other factors) to IV (darkest skin). People with skin types I and II are at highest risk for photoaging skin diseases, including cancer. It should be noted, however, that premature aging from sunlight can affect people of all skin shades.
|
Skin Type |
Tanning and Burning History |
|
I |
Always burns, never tans, sensitive to sun exposure |
|
II |
Burns easily, tans minimally |
|
III |
Burns moderately, tans gradually to light brown |
|
IV |
Burns minimally, always tans well to moderately brown |
|
V |
Rarely burns, tans profusely to dark |
|
VI |
Never burns, deeply pigmented, least sensitive |
It is commonly believed that women are at greater risk for wrinkles than men. Some evidence suggests, however, that given the same risk factors, men and women in the same age groups have comparable risks for skin photoaging. In fact, in one 1999 study, long-term sun exposure caused a greater number of wrinkles in men than in women. In a French study, the evidence of moderate to severe photoaging was observed in the following:
In fact, some studies report that men are more likely to develop non-melanoma skin cancers.
According to one study, heavy smokers are almost five times as likely to have wrinkled facial skin than nonsmokers. In fact, heavy smokers in their 40s often have facial wrinkles more like those of nonsmokers in their 60s. Studies of identical twins have found smokers to have thinner skin (in some cases by as much as 40%), more severe wrinkles, and more gray hair than their non-smoking twins. And even worse, cigarette smokers are more prone to skin cancers, including squamous cell carcinoma and giant basal cell carcinomas. For more information on smoking and smoking cessation, see In-Depth Report #41 : Smoking.
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