i saw this article and thought it was pretty cool. i love to get my tan on just as much as the next guy but this picture really puts it into perspective....
Striking photo reveals dark side of sunshine
By Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writer
Published June 04, 2012
LiveScience
This photograph, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, shows what dermatologists call dermatoheliosis — sun damage, a common sign of aging. What makes it striking is that this man, a retired truck driver, shows the damage on only one side of the face.
"He was a truck driver for the majority of his life and never wore sunscreen
," said Northwestern University dermatologist Jennifer Gordon, who reported the man's case. "We think the sun exposure just on this side of the face is what caused the damage."
Ultraviolet A (UVA) light from the sun can easily penetrate window glass and even light clothing, Gordon told LiveScience. UVA rays cause damage deep in the skin, affecting connective tissues such as collagen and elastin.
"That's where you get that aging effect: the wrinkles, the deposits of material in the skin," Gordon said.
The patient in the photograph came to Gordon and her colleagues after he got tired of his grandchildren asking him what was wrong with one side of his face. So far, the man has not exhibited any signs of skin cancer
, Gordon said, though he'll need to be monitored carefully in the future.
The best way to prevent skin cancer
as well as early aging is sunscreen, Gordon said. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends using sunscreens that provide a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30, and that offer broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays. UVB rays are the primary cause of sunburn. While UVB rays are blocked by window glass, UVA rays are not; even on a cloudy day, up to 80 percent of the sun's UV rays
make it through the clouds. The AAD recommends wearing sunscreen on exposed areas of the skin daily, even during winter.
Striking photo reveals dark side of sunshine
By Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writer
Published June 04, 2012
LiveScience
This photograph, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, shows what dermatologists call dermatoheliosis — sun damage, a common sign of aging. What makes it striking is that this man, a retired truck driver, shows the damage on only one side of the face.
"He was a truck driver for the majority of his life and never wore sunscreen
Ultraviolet A (UVA) light from the sun can easily penetrate window glass and even light clothing, Gordon told LiveScience. UVA rays cause damage deep in the skin, affecting connective tissues such as collagen and elastin.
"That's where you get that aging effect: the wrinkles, the deposits of material in the skin," Gordon said.
The patient in the photograph came to Gordon and her colleagues after he got tired of his grandchildren asking him what was wrong with one side of his face. So far, the man has not exhibited any signs of skin cancer
The best way to prevent skin cancer
