Your Skin and Photo-Aging and why we need to use sunblock everyday

Photo-Aging versus Natural Aging

Twin A is ageing naturally and Twin B has photo ageing

What is photo-aging and what is natural aging of the skin? Are they different? Definitely they are not the same. Natural aging is a natural process of skin aging due to old age whilst photo-aging is an accelerated skin aging due to exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun. 


 Natural Aging

Naturally aged skin usually smooth and homogenous.  There is exaggerated expression lines with fine wrinkles and the skin appears thin and transparent.  There is also loss of fat pad of the cheek that lead to hollow cheeks and deepening eyes. The skin tends to sagging due to bone resorption. The collagen fibres underneath the skin diminish but does not break or become thickened.

Photo Aging

On the contrary, photo-aging skin is noticeable at the exposed area especially the face and the hands. There are premature wrinkles with pigmented lesions like freckles, broken capillaries and veins, patchy hyperpigmentation and lentegenes. The skin also loss of tone and elasticity resulting in formation of jowl. The complexion of the skin appears blotchy, rough and leathery. There are marked epidermal thinning and the collagen and elastin fibres are broken and fragmented causing premature wrinkle formation.

Photo-aging is due to UV light radiation from prolonged sunlight exposure

UV radiation is divided into 3 categories i.e UVA, UVB and UVC rays.

• UVA rays (320-400 nm) penetrate skin deeply, breaks the collagen and elastin fibres and causing premature aging skin, wrinkles formation, pigment disorder and potentially skin cancer.
• UVB rays (290-320 nm) are sunburn-causing solar rays; they can also contribute to skin cancer.
• UVC rays (200-290 nm) are absorbed by ozone gases in the earth's atmosphere, which is a good thing, since UVC rays are considered potentially deadly to humans. However due to global warming, the ozone layer may have become thin that UVC light might penetrate down to the earth.

Prevention and Treatment of Photo-Aging Skinerapy

	Main action
Medical •       Sunscreens •       Topical Retinoids	Prevent UV damage Repair Dermal Collagen
•  Anti Oxidants •   Vitamin C •   Curcumin •   Co-enzyme 10 •   Green Tea	Repair dermal collagen Photo protection
Laser and light based •    Ablative & Fractional	Stimulate wound healing and Resurfacing
•    Non ablative	Resolve telangiectasia and pigmentation
Injectables •  Botox and Fillers	Dynamic wrinkle Restore volume loss Water retention
Physical sunblock	Prevent UV damage