Pigmentation | Dark Spots

While you have probably heard that sunburns can lead to skin cancer, how this happens is not clear to many people.

In addition, there are other types of sun damage that cause both cosmetic and health issues. Understanding how the sun harms your skin can help you choose the best sun protection.

Some of the ways the sun harms your skin include:

Uneven pigmentation—Sun exposure triggers the protective coloring agent melanin. Your body often releases melanin unevenly, causing patchy coloration. This reaction can be more pronounced in people with dark skin.

Break down of connective tissue—Both collagen and elastin hold your skin together. Extended UV-A and UV-B exposure can damage these layers, leading to wrinkling and sagging skin.

Sun spots—Often mistaken for moles, sunspots are small areas of permanent discoloration caused by too much sun. Larger areas of sunspots look like patches of freckles but do not lighten. These areas are at higher risk for cancer.

Melasma—This dark patch of skin discoloration is common in pregnant women and has a hormonal component. Melasma may fade when the contributing factors are removed or can be a permanent skin issue.