Damaged DNA
The effects from ultraviolet light from the sun can disrupt the skin's genetic material or DNA and alter the way chemicals are made from skin cells. The damaging effects may include sunburn, skin aging, wrinkling and skin cancer. The skin usually changes when exposed to ultraviolet light to protect against any kind of damage. The uppermost layer of the skin, or epidermis, will thicken to help block the ultraviolet rays. Skin cells that produce pigment will increase in melanin, the chemical that darkens the skin. This can result in tanning of the skin. Even if a person does not burn, however, tan can be an indication of future sun damage.
Skin Changes
Melanin prevents the ultraviolet light from penetrating into the skin tissue and damaging cells. Overexposure to the sun will result in damage over time because of melanin overproduction, which promotes changes and damage to skin cells. Farmers, boaters and sunbathers are at increased risk for overexposure to the sun over time. Children can be protected from future damage by sun exposure with the use of sunscreens and hats as often as possible. Children with moles, fair skin and hair and a family history of skin cancer should be especially careful in the sun, according to KidsHealth, a health website for kids and parents. Sensitivity to sunlight varies among people. Darker-skinned people have more melanin and are more protected against the harmful rays of the sun. Fair-skinned people have skin that produces less melanin and are therefore at higher risk for many of the sun's damages to the skin.
Aged Skin
Overexposure to the sun can cause wrinkles and premature aging of the skin, because skin cells overproduce chemicals that damage the skin's genetic material. The sun can also cause irregularities in the skin including redness and a leathery, rough texture of the skin over a long period of exposure. To avoid damage of the skin from the sun, it is necessary to go out in the sun only when necessary. The damaging effects of the sun cannot be reversed except through creams and make-up, or through surgical techniques. Laser skin resurfacing may improve thin wrinkles and irregular patches on the skin.
Worst Damage
When it comes to sun damage, skin cancer is among the worst worries. The more exposure to the sun, the higher risk of getting skin cancer, especially for fair-skinned people, explains the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are skin cancers that can easily be treated and removed in a dermatologist's office if noticed in time. Malignant melanoma can be fatal if not caught soon. Surgery includes removing the melanoma and surrounding tissue under the skin. People can often be warned of skin cancer by pre-cancerous growths such as actinic keratoses. They can appear as flaky, scaly or brown, rough patches of skin. They can be removed through freezing with liquid nitrogen. While the sun helps provide the skin with doses of vitamin D, many dermatologists say the risk of developing skin cancer is not worth overexposure to the sun. People should instead get vitamin D through foods rich in the vitamin, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
