The New England Journal of Medicine recently released this powerful photo of a 66-year old truck driver that proves photoaging can be a scary problem. This can happen to any area of the body and is caused by repeated exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV) from the sun.

It’s so easy to forget our daily sunscreen regimen or to fall into that “I’m never going to get old” mentality.

Let this image serve as a shocking reminder of exactly what our beloved sun can do. The face of the man in the photo is showing two different ages based on prolonged UV exposure.

According to an ABC News article, “The 66-year-old truck driver suffers from unilateral photo-aging, which was caused by repeated, long-term exposure to UVA rays of the sun. It was 15 years before he noticed any difference between the two sides of his face, but he ignored it, that is until his grandchildren’s questions got the best of him.”

Photo aging differs from chronological aging since it is exposure to UV rays from the sun or tanning beds, rather than time that causes the skin’s structures to be altered. Cosmetic surgery and injectables can help to rebuild the structural support (collagen and elastin) of the face. A topical retinoid is also proven to reverse the signs of photoaging.

Signs of Photoaging

  • Rough skin texture and sagging skin
  • Various pigmented lesions such as freckles, age or liver spots
  • Fine lines around the eyes and mouth
  • Broken blood vessels on the cheeks, nose, and neck, and chest

Start looking at sunscreen as a part of your daily skin care regimen along with an anti-aging treatment cream. Make sure you use a broad-spectrum sunscreen for maximum protection against both UVA and UVB rays. We love the EltaMD Sun Care line which can be purchased at The MEDspa.

While prevention is your best approach, your skin may already be showing signs of damage from previous sun exposure. It is possible to rejuvenate the skin by removing age spots, fine lines, and wrinkles with the use of IPL, fractional resurfacing, and chemical peels.

Give us a call at (972) 543-2477 to schedule a skin care consultation and learn how to protect your skin from potential photoaging.