Sun Protection and Sun-Damaged Skin
Sun damage is the skin change that follows sun exposure, and sun protection is the habit that guards against it. Seen as a timeline, the topic runs from the first faint sign to a daily routine to the point where damage is worth a professional look.
Protection starts as a year-round habit
The CDC says it is important to protect your skin from the sun all year, not just during the summer. The CDC also advises protecting your skin when the UV index is three or higher in your area. That advice applies in St. Johns as much as anywhere. The Skin Cancer Foundation keeps a broader page on skin cancer prevention for readers who want the larger picture.
The stages this guide follows
Each article takes one question in the order a reader meets it.
- Spotting Early Photoaging on Your Face covers the earliest visible signs and why they are easy to miss.
- Common Sunscreen Questions Answered covers the questions that come up once a reader starts using it.
- Using Mineral Sunscreen Correctly covers applying one type properly.
What the skin does over time
MedlinePlus has a page on aging skin and sunlight, and the Skin Cancer Foundation keeps a page on sunscreen.
When a mark has changed
Guides can name the stages, but they cannot judge a particular patch of skin. When a mark has changed or protection has been uneven for years, an in-person assessment is the sensible next step.