If you've had a recent severe sunburn or are growing older, you may wonder how to recognize the signs of photoaging, or sun damage to healthy skin. Temporary redness and pain are common to sunburn at any age, while symptoms such as fine lines and skin patchiness that come on gradually may be attributed to photo damage in aging skin. Photo damage is the result of exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays, and the cumulative effects usually appear in mature skin. People who tan or burn frequently at a young age, however, may experience premature signs of skin damage.
Tanned Skin
A tan indicates that your skin has tried to protect itself from sun exposure by producing melanin, the brown pigment that colors the epidermis, or outer layer of skin. The Skin Cancer Foundation reports that UV radiation has already harmed your skin's DNA by the time a tan appears.
Inflamed Skin
Sunburn symptoms of redness, heat and pain indicate inflammation, or extreme sun damage to your epidermis. Blisters may also form, fill with fluid and then peel away. According to the Mayo Clinic, multiple sunburns damage skin cell DNA and increase your risk for skin cancer.
Skin Wrinkles
Even if you avoid tanning and burning, the amount of UV exposure that you do get still contributes to wrinkling. The UVA rays that aren't associated with tanning but with a deeper penetration of the dermis, or inner layer of skin, cause photo damage to collagen and elastin.
These substances keep skin tissue full and flexible; with a smaller amount, skin sags, forms folds and wrinkles. Additional sun damage to aging skin creates even deeper wrinkles and a leathery texture.
Uneven Tone
In aging skin, you may notice the gradual appearance of blotches in skin tone, which may become noticeable age spots that are darker than the rest of your skin.
These are the result of photo damage to the epidermis. The Skin Sciences Institute notes that this symptom indicates a decrease in the efficiency cellular growth, which may create a dull skin tone and a rough and scaly surface.
Skin Cancer
Because the body may be able to fight off sun damage to DNA for a time, skin cancer usually appears in aging skin. Using a tanning bed machine, especially at a young age, increases your risk for skin cancer and can hasten its onset.
The National Institute on Aging lists possible signs of cancer as moles or discolored spots that are asymmetrical or irregular in shape, and change in size or color.
