Sun protection is an everyday necessity. Only a little exposure to the sun each day could be damaging to your skin. Sun damage is known to cause signs of aging such as wrinkles, spider veins, age spots, and blotchy complexion. What are the effects of sun exposure and how can you avoid them for healthy younger looking skin?

What is Involved in Sun Damage?

The dermatological term for the effects of aging due to the sun is "photoaging". Signs of "photoaging" appear when the skin is no longer able to regenerate and sun damage accumulates. Research has shown that exposure to UV rays results in the break down of collagen. Exposure to the sun also harms the skin's elastin. UV radiation is one of the chief producers of free radicals. These also contribute to wrinkling, collagen break down, as well as alteration of genetic material that could be a antecedent to cancer. Sun exposure is also known to damage the enzymes responsible for repairing skin cells. Therefore, sun damaged skin is less resilient and becomes loose, wrinkled, and leathery without the means to rebuild and restore itself to its prior state.

How Does the Sun Create Wrinkles?

One of the most common effects of UV radiation is wrinkles. These become visible on the areas of your body that are most commonly exposed to the sun. Fine surface wrinkles and deep furrows are caused by the break down of collagen and the development of free radicals. Collagen is the protein that holds your skin together to make it firm and smooth. Skin that lacks adequate collagen levels is left saggy and wrinkled. Unfortunately, collagen can not restore itself after it is damaged. Up to 80 percent of facial wrinkles are created in this way as a result of sun exposure.

What Does the Sun Do to Cause a Blotchy Complexion?

Another effect of sun exposure is age spots. A melanin pigment in our skin helps to absorb sunlight and protect us from UV rays. Yet, after some time, we lose our ability to deflect UV light and we start to see the appearance of age spots. This discoloration is the outcome of the sun's harm to our melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin. As time goes by, sun exposure causes more pigment than normal to be deposited in the skin. This leaves your skin with flat, brown skin discolorations known as age spots.

How do You Protect Yourself From the Sun?

You should keep away from tanning and try to avoid the sun during its strongest hours between 10am and 4pm. Invest in some good sunscreen that has a high SPF, "sun protection factor", which measures how long you can be in the sun before you burn. It is very important to apply sunscreen everyday. If planning a day outdoors, put on a good amount of sunscreen and reapply it every two hours. Sunglasses and hats prevent exposure of the most vulnerable areas such as the ears, face, nose, neck, scalp, and eyes. What you wear is also important. Clothes of lighter colors and more thickly woven materials are better at deflecting dangerous rays. Protect yourself from harmful UV rays and these results of sun damage, but if you are already worried about noticeable signs of aging, look for a natural skin care alternative that can help turn them around.